Darkness Falls
by PriscillaPal
Summary: In the last chapter, of part one of this series, Connor comes up with a plan that affects most of Smallville. That is, everyone except for Clark.
1. Default Chapter

SMALLVILLE/ANGEL CROSSOVER

Two years have passed, and Clark, Lana, Chloe and Lois attend Smallville University. But time as changed some things.

Clark and Lana are together and are thinking of taking that big step in their relationship. That being, having sex for the first time. Chloe is already having sex, with a mysterious student that has transferred in from Los Angeles. His name is Connor.

Chloe and Lois are Journalism majors, but as Chloe's relationship with Connor had deepened, she has also begun to neglect her studies. Lois, on the other hand, has taken a shine to the major, and has decided to do some snooping....into Connor's past.

Lex Luthor is also very interested in Connor, since it is his arrival that begins a series of savage murders....murders in which the victim's blood has been drained. And in some cases, the victims graves have been disturbed, as if they have clawed their way back to the living.

Clark feels guilty that he has been so into Lana, that he has neglected to help the victims. He also feels something odd, maybe a small pang of jealousy, when it becomes clear that Lois and Lex, are getting closer, as they try and figure out Connor's connection to the murders.

Lois sat in the graveyard, bored. What the hell was she thinking?! Why was she spending her night in this fashion?

Because someone had to.

Lois looked around, not feeling THAT invincible! She looked at her watch. It was 11:30 already. Would this murder/creature thing that had already killed four Smallville University students, show up tonight? Would one of the victims claw their way out of a grave?

Lois glanced at the name on the particular gravestone she was near. Lynda Smith. She had been leaving some sort of Women's Safety Rally, that had taken place on campus last week, when she had been attacked and murdered.

Now there were no more rallies. Lois guessed people figured that all the karate in the world, wouldn't help them against whatever, or whoever, this was.

Lois sat on the top of another nearby gravestone, still watching Lynda's. She was determined to write something for the University paper on this! Something that would not only give her an edge in this major, but maybe help stop whatever was going on.

Lois's mind wandered from the killings, to Chloe. It was good to see her cousin happy. Not just rebound happy, but crazy in love, happy.

She was just glad that the girl was not waiting around for Clark Kent to notice her.

Clark and Lana looked as if they were finally going to be able to make a go of this little romance of theirs, not that Lois had much time to notice lately, or even glance at them. Then again, she wasn't close with the couple anyway.

Lana was always polite, but distant. And Clark looked as if he wanted to run whenever she came his way! Lois giggled out loud! The look on his face was hilarious! Maybe that's why she always needled him whenever she saw him....

Lois's mind jumped back to the task at hand, when she suddenly heard something! Lois's eyes perched on the grave across from her. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a digital camera! Finally, finally she was going to find out what the hell was going on around here!

But Lois could see nothing out of the ordinary going on with Lynda Smith's grave. Lois relaxed, but still held onto the digital camera. She swung her legs back and forth, as she wondered if Chloe and her new boyfriend, Connor, would be occupying the room what? Chloe never did say. Or maybe Lois hadn't thought to ask? He was cute....in a sort of boyish type of way. Kind of the way Clark was....

No, Clark just had a boyish type of face, but a body like a man. Lois shook her head again. Why was she comparing her cousin's boyfriend to Lana's?

Time for her to get a guy of her own, Lois guessed. She looked around and sighed. Maybe there wouldn't be a murder tonight. That was a blessing, she guessed, though she would not get her story tonight.....

Suddenly, something grabbed Lois's foot! She screamed as her digital camera flew out of her hand, and she realized that someone, or something, was coming out of the grave she was sitting on top of!

Lois kicked with all of her might, as a dirty hand wrapped around her ankle and pulled her off of the headstone! Lois tried to crawl away, with all of her might, but the hand was so strong, that she could feel he was crushing her ankle!

"AAAAAHHHHH!" Lois screamed in pain. She didn't give a damn about the stupid picture now, or this story! She just wanted out of here! She tried to stand and found she couldn't, so she managed to crawl over to a stone bench. Lois pulled herself onto it and turned to see what had attacked her.

Some guy.....something, that used to be 'Kevin Lewis', had pulled himself out of his grave! He had also broken her damned ankle and....

Lois felt herself gasping, as she saw his face....and his teeth! It was then that she realized that there was more than one killer running around here, and that the people that had witnessed what she was seeing right now, weren't stoned, doped up, or drunk college students!  
Lois screamed as she tried to crawl off of the bench and make a pathetic getaway. But 'Kevin' caught up with her fairly quickly, grabbing the back of her hair painfully. Lois twisted as he pulled her up effortlessly, her feet dangling off of the ground. Kevin then turned her around and sank his teeth into her neck!

Lois cried out, just as Kevin seemed to suddenly disappear, or 'bite the dust', literally. The last person she saw, before she passed out, was Lex Luthor.

Lex dropped the stake he had used to kill the vampire, bent down and swept the unconscious Lois Lane into his arms. Lex then carried her out of the graveyard.

NEXT DAY: LATE AFTERNOON

Chloe lurked around the messy scene in the cemetery, trying not to be noticed by the police, and the lab techs. She folded her arms, feeling suddenly chilly, even though the sun was hot. She watched as a wooden stake was put into a plastic bag.

Lois had not come home last night, and Chloe didn't know what to think.

She half turned and was surprised to almost bump into Clark! Then again, that's how it was with him. He could disappear as quickly as he appeared.

"What's going on?" Clark asked, looking around.

"Another grave disturbance. It doesn't look as if anyone was killed....this time." Chloe sighed with relief.

Chloe looked around, as Clark watched her and surreptitiously, used his x-ray vision to see if anyone was still buried in 'Kevin Lewis's' grave.

It was empty.

"Oh my God!" Chloe yelled, running towards the grave. Clark tried to grab her arm!

"Chloe! What are you doing....this is a police investigation...."

But Chloe shook him off and hurried over to one of the labtechs! She snatched the digital camera they had found, out of his hands!

"Where did you get this?!" she demanded to know. One of the officer's made their way over to her.

"And you are?"

"Chloe Sullivan! This is my cousin's digital camera!"

"Your cousin's? And her name is?"

"Lois Lane! God! We room together over at Smallville University! She didn't come home last night! Oh my God!"

"Okay, listen, Ms. Sullivan. Let's not jump to conclusions. Why don't you come with me so I can get some more information, okay?"

Chloe nodded, near tears! Clark but a hand on her shoulder.

"Lois is fine, I'm sure. If anyone can take care of herself...."

"Clark, you don't understand! She probably stayed out to give Connor and myself....well...time alone." she sniffed, wiping her nose.

Clark nodded, but for some reason, felt uncomfortable by the 'Connor' reference. He didn't like the guy. He didn't know why or what it was, but there was something about him that he didn't trust.

"Listen to me, Chloe: I'll go back to the dorms and look around. Maybe Lois made her way back there. I'm sure she's fine."

Chloe nodded tearfully, then reluctantly walked off with the officer. Clark's jaw clenched, as he began to scan the area for any signs that Lois had been wounded, or was hurt.

It was then, that he saw Connor, of all people, over by a stone bench. Clark looked around, then walked over to him.

"Connor, right?"

Connor glanced at him.

"Yeah, you're Clark."

"Yeah....what are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" Connor asked him back. Clark could feel annoyance creep into his senses. Annoyance, and something else he had yet to define.

"I'm here for Chloe."

"I'll be here for Chloe from now on, thanks." Connor replied, his manner bordering on hostile. He then turned away from Clark and sniffed! Clark raised a brow, but said nothing. Connor then turned back to him.

"Lois was here....with someone else."

"Uh, yeah, probably the guy that's been running around killing people!" Clark said in a sarcastic manner. He knew it was guilt that was making him so on edge. His parents, Jonathan and Martha, and counseled him, telling him he couldn't save everybody. But he wasn't even trying. He should've been in this graveyard, ready to kill whatever it was that was taking human life.

"No....someone human."

Clark said nothing, and began an x-ray scan of the area. He saw nothing that put someone here with Lois. He didn't see anything that even put Lois here.

But Connor could smell whoever it was. And he was picking up a scent. He was going to go and be with Chloe, then he would track down the person that had taken Lois away. Connor walked away from Clark, without even so much as a backward glance.

Clark walked down the hallway of the dormitory that Chloe and Lois stayed in. The halls were empty, and he looked around, before knocking. When he got no answer, Clark looked around again, then forced his way into the room, breaking the lock!

Once inside, he closed the door and looked around. There was no sign of Lois, nor did it look as if she had been here at all. Connor's words kept coming back to him. Was it possible that Lois had run into some other criminal and had been kidnapped?

Clark looked around again, then walked back to the door. He opened it and was surprised to find Lana there, about to knock...

"Hey you! I was just about to see if Chloe was in. What are you doing in here?"

Clark knew it looked bad, his being in the girls room this way, but he didn't like the feel of any of this.

"Lana, I sort of broke in."

"Broke in? Clark, why...."

"Lois is missing."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I came here to see Chloe. I mean I knew she had to be upset. People are saying that Lois might have been murdered."

"No....I mean no one knows anything. No one except that creep boyfriend of Chloe's."

Lana gave him a look.

"You mean Connor?"

"Yeah, Connor! He was at the crime scene today....sniffing the air! I mean it was almost as if he thought he could smell where Lois went or something!"

Lana gave him a funny look.

"What?"

"What were you doing there?"

"Where?" Clark asked.

"At the crime scene. Clark, this killer scares me! I just think that we should stay out of it."

"Lana, Chloe is our friend. I mean you do want to help her get through this, don't you?"

"Oh course I do! But running around and chasing after this maniac is not the way. Now I care about Chloe, but Lois is reckless! There is a curfew and most women haven't left their dorms at night since these killings started. What was she doing in the graveyard so late?"

"You know how Lois is....she was probably trying to get a picture of the killer or something."

"A picture?" Lana asked.

"Yeah. Chloe freaked out when the police found Lois's digital camera at the scene. Something has definitely happened to her."

"God! Well, where is Chloe now?"

"Probably with Connor."

"Well it's good that she has someone with her. I like him. He does seem devoted to her."

"Yeah."

"But you don't like him?"

"Lana, it's just....the guy showed up out of nowhere...."

"He's from California."

"Okay, fine! There's just something about him, that makes me fear that Chloe is going to get her heart broken." Clark said. He then shook his head and pulled Lana into his arms, lifting her off of the ground. Lana laughed.

"What's this all about!"

"You know what? I don't want to talk about Connor or Chloe anymore! You're right! Let's just let the police handle it. I'm sure Lois is fine. So, we're still on for dinner at the farm?" Clark asked, wrapping his arm around Lana's waist. They began to walk away from the room.

"Yes, seven sharp. I can't wait! Your mother's cooking beats the slop around here anytime."

Clark stopped walking and looked down into her eyes. Lana had such beautiful eyes and gorgeous skin.....and he loved her so much.... he tipped her chin up for a kiss.

Lana melted in his arms, wondering how long they could keep going on like this? Doing nothing but kissing and holding hands? Was she ready to take that next step with him?

Clark ended their kiss.

"I will walk you to your next class." he said, taking her hand in his his, his face red at the thoughts of what he would like to be doing with Lana right now.

Clark kissed Lana once more, before watching her head into a science building. He then turned and began walking.

He realized he had made that little speech to Lana, back at Chloe and Lois's dorm, for his girlfriend's benefit. He did not want her to worry.

But he himself, was still worried. About this whole situation.

And it was as Clark was walking, that he saw Connor and Chloe, some distance away. They kissed, for quite awhile, before he stroked her cheek and she walked off. He then turned and began walking. Clark decided to follow him....at a safe distance back.

Lex Luthor closed a file that read PROJECT CONNOR, just as the doctor he had called for Lois, walked into the study.

"Well?" he asked.

"She'll live. Her ankle is only sprained. I'll leave you with some anti-biotics to stave off the infection for her neck wound."

"So she's conscious?"

"No."

Lex stood up and walked over to him.

"Why not?"

"I don't know, though I strongly suspect it's the shock of it all. Mr. Luthor, I really should report this to the police. That girl has the same neck wound as all of the other murder victims...."

"I realize that. But I would prefer you didn't, doctor. You'll be paid handsomely for your silence."

"She might be able to identify the killer, Mr. Luthor."

"Yes, and I'll take her to the police, as soon as she's better." Lex assured the man, handing him an envelope. The man sighed, took it, and walked out of the room. Lex watched him, then left the study himself. He walked down an array of hallways, then hurried up the stairs, walked down more hallways, until he reached the room that Lois Lane was lying in.

She was wearing a nightgown, and appeared to be tossing and turning, feverishly. Lex sat down beside her, took a cool washcloth, and began dabbing at her forehead.

"There, there, Ms. Lane. You are in good hands now. You're safe." Lex said in a soothing whisper. 


	2. Where In The World is Lois?

Chapter 2

Clark saw two police cars outside of Lex's house and wondered what was up? He also wondered why he had trailed Connor here? Did he know Lex?

Clark stood back some distance. Connor had taken his car, while Clark had tailed him a safe distance back in his truck. Now, he watched as Connor drove up, then screeched off at the sight of the police cars! Clark's eyes narrowed, as Connor drove off. He had known something was off about that guy! Clearly the police cars had spooked him. But why?

Clark parked some distance away, then got out of the truck. He walked up to Lex's door and was let in by a familiar looking servant. It was not long until he made his way to the study, where he could overhear Lex and the police. One of the officers, was the same one that took Chloe's statement.

Clark hid in the hallway and listened.

Meanwhile Lex folded his arms, as he was shown a wooden stake.

"Well Mr. Luthor?" one officer asked.

"Well what?"

"Your fingerprints are all over this thing! We found this and Ms. Lane's digital camera near a disturbed grave. You had to have seen her."

"Yes, I was in the graveyard last night. No, I have not seen Ms. Lane."

The officer that dealt with Chloe, snorted in disgust!

"A young woman's life could be in danger, Mr. Luthor! And you have the nerve to stand before us and lie to our faces?"

Lex gave the man a cool look.

"Frankly, I'm amazed at your nerve....Officer...." Lex asked.

"Actually, it's DETECTIVE, Detective Owens. And I'm just doing my job here."

"I'm amazed that you have the nerve," Lex continued, "to speak to me in this fashion. I told you I didn't see anyone. And when you didn't get the answer you would've liked, you called me liar. Frankly, Detective Owens, I'm offended."

"Oh, you're offended, hey, Luthor? Let me tell you something...."

Clark stopped eavesdropping and looked around. Lex and himself had a complicated friendship. There were times when he was so disappointed in that guy. And now was one of them. Because Clark could always tell when Lex was lying.

And he was lying to Officer Owens right now. But why?

Clark began walking down hallways, using his x-ray vision to scan through walls to see if he could find a sign of Lois. He just found the usual servants in the kitchen working and few dusting, two things Lois would never be doing.

Clark then got to the stairs. He looked around again and headed up them, half running. Once on the second floor, he began his scan again.

It didn't take him long to find a figure in a bed. Clark hurried to the door and eased it open. Lois was tossing and turning in bed. From the door, Clark could see she was sick or something! He closed the door and hurried over to the bed.

"Lois? Lois, can you hear me?"

He reached down to touch her hand, and could feel it was quite hot! As she tossed, Clark frowned and moved so he could see her neck. There was a bandage on it!

Clark walked around to a table next to the bed. He found medications for infection sitting there. He picked one up, looked at it, then set it down again.

Lois had gotten hurt somehow....well, Clark suspected how, since the other murder victims had wounds on their neck. Somehow, Lois had managed to survive.

Or did Lois have Lex to thank for that? And if she did, then why was he lying to the cops downstairs now?

Lois awoke and looked up at him. She then began to cry, for whatever reason! Somewhat horrified, Clark made a decision. He grabbed Lois's medication and put it into his pocket. He then bent down and swept Lois up into his arms. Her whole body was warm, to say the least. He would take her to the farm, until he found out what was going on in this town!

"No.....no....." Lois cried, trying very weakly to push against him.

"Lois, it's Clark. You're going to be alright. I'm going to take you somewhere where you can get better, okay?"

But Lois seemed to pass out again. Clark, walked over to the bedroom door, looked around, then proceeded to slip out of the mansion without being seen.

Martha Kent closed the guest bedroom and walked down the stairs. Jonathan and Clark looked at her expectantly.

"I got her to take the required medication, just barely. If I don't see any signs of improvement...."

"Then we should take her to a hospital, Clark." Jonathan Kent finished, giving his son a stern look.

"Look, I'm sorry to inconvenience you both...." Clark began. But Jonathan put up a hand and Martha spoke.

"Honey, you're not inconveniencing us! But we're going to have to call Lois's father. The poor thing is delirious! She thought I was her mother!"

"I think we should call the police. People think that Lois could be dead." Jonathan said.

"Yeah, I know. Dad, I took her from Lex's place."

"Lex? What was she doing there?" Jonathan asked in a sour tone.

"Dad, I would've never even found her there, if it hadn't been for Chloe's boyfriend."

"Wait a minute! You're losing me. Chloe is seeing someone?" Martha asked.

"Yeah, a guy named Connor."

"Connor who? Maybe his family is from around here?" Jonathan asked.

"He's not from around here, Dad. And I still don't know how he figured out where Lois was."

"You didn't ask him?" Jonathan asked.

"No, that's the strange part. He took off when he saw the police were at Lex's."

"The police? Clark, what's going on here?" Martha asked, now more worried than ever.

"I followed Connor to Lex's. There were police there. Connor sees the cars and takes off. I go in and overhear Lex not only lying about where Lois is, but....I guess they found some evidence that proves that he was in the cemetery last night with her. I don't want to believe anything sinister is going on here, but I just don't like the feel of any of this."

"Neither do I, son." Jonathan said. "That's why we ought to call Lois's father."

"Mom, you saw that wound on her throat! Lois has survived an attack that was supposed to have killed her! The person that did this could be waiting to strike at anytime. I know her father would want to know, but I don't think we should say anything, to anyone, about where Lois is, until we can find out what this town is dealing with. Though...."

"Though what?" Jonathan asked.

"It's pretty obvious, isn't it? I mean, these killings never happen during the day, do they? And the blood being drained...."

Martha began to laugh!

"Honey, what are you saying? That what....Dracula has come to Smallville or something? What?"

"No, Mom....but close."

"Okay, son, why don't you get back to the University and we'll take care of Lois here. We'll do things your way, for now. But if Lois gets any worse then we're taking her to the hospital." Jonathan said in a no-nonsense manner.

Clark smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Dad, Mom. You understand that I can't turn a blind eye to this anymore. Maybe if I had paid more attention, then Lois wouldn't be in the shape she is in now."

Martha walked up to him.

"Now, now! None of that. What happened to Lois is not your fault and...."

There was a sudden sharp knock at the kitchen door. Clark walked away from his mother and opened the door.

Lex was standing out there. He smiled warmly.

"Hey, Clark! Can I come in?"

"Well, this really isn't a good time...." Clark began.

"Oh, yeah, I figured as much."

"You did?" Martha asked nervously. Jonathan folded his arms and gave Lex a hard look. Lex stepped in anyway.

"Well, yes, Mrs. Kent. I mean it's a terrible thing when a person's vehicle is stolen."

Clark rolled his tongue around in his mouth. His truck! Damn! He had rushed Lois back here without his truck, since it seemed like it would be too slow. He had left his truck at Lex's.

"Uh....yeah." was all Clark could think to say. "We were just going to call the police right now."

Jonathan stepped in.

"That's right, Lex. I had to pick up Clark from school....someone just stole the truck off of the lot."

"Well, luckily for you, you won't have to go through the trouble of calling the police. I just happened to be talking to them, when they discovered your truck, Clark."

Clark could tell from the piercing look Lex was giving him, that he didn't believe the story. But Lex certainly couldn't account for why Clark was here and not with the vehicle, so Clark suspected Lex wasn't going to push it.

"You were talking to the police, Lex?" Martha asked. "I hope nothing is wrong."

"Well actually, Mrs. Kent, there is. They seem to think that I had a hand in what happened to Lois Lane."

"Really?" Clark asked, knowing he sounded fake, but unable to help it. "Do you know her?"

"No, I don't. But I was in the graveyard last night. Something I dropped got spotted by the police."

"Why were you in the graveyard last night, Lex, if you don't mind my asking?" Jonathan asked.

"Not at all, Mr. Kent. I was out looking for this killer."

"You?" Clark asked, now just as skeptical of Lex, as Lex was of him.

"Yes. The police are clueless and I figured someone had to do something. Clark, you can drive back with me if you want.....so you can get your truck."

"Actually," Jonathan answered, "I'll drive Clark to the truck. But thanks for your help, Lex."

Lex smiled tolerantly. His eyes roamed around the house, stopping at the stairs. But he did turn and leave. Martha went over to the window and watched as his car left the farm. She turned back to Clark and her husband.

"Did you get the feeling he knew Lois was here?" she asked. Jonathan shook his head.

"I hate to say this, but I think you were right son. His whole visit was strange. And he just outright lied about Lois. I hate to say this outloud, much less think it, but maybe the killer in this town just left our house."

When Connor returned to campus, the first place he headed was Chloe's dorm. He had to tell her that he had found Lois.

But when he got to her room, the door was open and she was being comforted by Lana Lang. Lana saw him first and let go of Chloe. Chloe sniffed, saw him and jumped up. Connor's arms immediately went around her.

"Hey, Connor." Lana said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. She found that odd, since she had never felt this way before. And she usually had very limited interaction with him. Lana suspected it was Clark's earlier words, about Connor, that had stirred these feelings.

Connor set Chloe away from him.

"How are you holding up?"

"Not well." she sniffed again. "I think we've given Lois long enough. I should call my uncle."

"Chloe....wait. Listen, uh, I think I've found her."

Chloe stared at him, then glanced over at Lana, who moved closer to him.

"You think you've found her? What are you talking about?" Chloe asked.

"It's just what I said....Lex Luthor has her at his place."

"What?!" Chloe began to squeal. "How do you know this?! Have the police been over there?"

"I know that the police are there now. Whether they find Lois there...."

Lana interrupted.

"Wait a minute! Why wouldn't the police find Lois there? And why would Lex even have her with him? I mean.....I guess I'm not getting this at all."

"Well none of us will if we don't get over to the Luthor mansion." Connor said calmly. He liked Lana Lang, well enough, but she was not his type. Her eyes bothered him. They were cat like or something.

He looked from her to Chloe. Chloe, who he had felt an instant connection with, from the first day he had met her, in the college library.

"Let's just get over there, okay?" he suggested softly.

Chloe nodded and began to leave with Connor, but Lana stopped them.

"Hey! Wait a minute! You're saying what, that Lex is keeping Lois there against her will or something? I mean, Connor, you just said the police are there. They will bring Lois back."

"Not if Lex Luthor lies about her being there."

"Did you see her there, Connor?" Lana asked. Chloe began to feel irritated. Why the hell was Lana giving her boyfriend the third degree?

"Lana, Connor would not lie about something like this! And Lex is shifty! Now I'm going to trust him and go and get my cousin! Please close my door when you leave."

"Sure." Lana said softly, as Connor and Chloe headed out. Lana walked out into the hallway and watched them leave She was still staring after them, when Clark walked up behind her, lifted some of her hair and kissed the back of her neck! Lana jumped and turned around, smiling up at him.

"Hey, you!"

Clark grinned back, but eyed Chloe and Connor's backs.

"Where are they off to?"

"Oh, Clark! I think you could be right about that Connor guy."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, he came here swearing up and down that Lois was at Lex's! He's also hinting that Lex is keeping her there against her will or something! I mean I think Chloe is about to be severely disappointed here. And Connor was just so weird about the whole thing."

Clark said nothing. For yes, Chloe was about to be disappointed. They would not find Lois and Lex's. He looked back at Lana.

"Uh, Lana, tonight with my parents...."

"Yeah, like I said, I'm really looking forward to some home cooking."

"Uh, well, my parents had an emergency. So we're not going over there tonight."

"Oh....well I hope it's nothing too serious?"

"It could be. Look, we'll do it some other time, okay?"

"Fine." Lana said, trying to shake the familiar feeling, that Clark was not telling her everything. She didn't want to think that. That little issue had always been a sore spot between them.

"Well then maybe we can eat out?" she suggested.

Clark bit his lip.

"Lana, this emergency involves me too. I can't get into it now, but I won't be able to do anything tonight."

"This really must be serious."

"It is, Lana. Believe me, it is." he said. What he did not say was that he planned on patrolling the graveyard, this campus or anyplace else he had to, to bring these killings to an end, tonight.

Connor pulled up outside of the Luthor mansion and frowned deeply. He had had the same feeling, as soon as they began to get close to this place, that he was having right now.

Lois's scent was no longer here. She was not in that house.

Chloe began to get out of the car, but Connor grabbed her arm.

"She's no longer here."

Chloe's eyes became huge!

"Connor, we haven't even went inside! How do you know...."

Connor let go of her arm, and enfolded her face in his hands.

"I love you, Chloe."

Chloe blinked. It was not as if Connor had not told her this before. It was just that now his timing seemed off.

"Uh, I love you too, Connor. But...."

"I need for you to trust me. I know how important Lois is to you. I would never let anything happen to her....or you."

Chloe reached up and touched one of the hands on her face.

"I know that. I've always known that."

Connor smiled. He then stopped and removed his hands from her face.

"Lex has moved her. We need to find out why he's so interested in your cousin in the first place."

Chloe just nodded. Lex was nowhere near as bad as his father, Lionel, but he was capable of anything. And she felt safe with Connor. She knew he was telling her the truth. Connor started the car and drove off, back towards the university.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: As far as the 'Angel' plot goes, none of that nonsense that happened when the series ended, occurred. I'm sorry, but I really hated that storyline!!!

When Connor was alone, he took out his cellphone and called Los Angeles. Specifically, the law firm of Wolfram & Hart.

He now knew that his real father was a vampire named Angel. He knew what he had done for him, giving him a new life.

But memories of his old one, were mixed in with the new memories. Memories of demons and vampires. Memories of the strength he possessed.

Angel and himself, had managed to establish a cordial relationship. One in which Connor knew he could come to him, when he needed help.

And he needed help now.

A vampire had come to Smallville. And whoever this was, was making more vampires. Connor didn't want this peaceful community to end up like L.A., or God help them, another Sunnydale.

Connor hung on, and was more than a little surprised to find himself speaking to Wesley Wyndam-Price.

"Connor, hello. What can I do for you?"

"Uh, you can let me speak to Angel....my father?"

There was a long silence.

"Wesley? Wesley, are you still there?"

"I'm here. Connor, I can't let you speak to your father.....he's not here. We're not sure where he is."

"Okay, tell me what's wrong? Now!" Connor snapped, feeling on edge.

"He's gone, Connor. Just on a little getaway. I will put you in touch with him when he returns." Wesley said, hanging up. He then picked up the part of the green rock, that someone had sent to Angel, a few weeks ago. Who this person was, or how this being had gotten past Harmony, and into Angel's office, was beyond comprehension. The security tapes just displayed a black robed figure wearing a hood.

But the effect of this strange stone, unfortunately, had the worst effect on Angel that was deemed possible. It gave him a false sense of pure happiness....bliss really. Much like one other time, when some actress that Angel had been working for, slipped him some sort of drug that had turned him back into Angelus, without removing his soul.

The same thing had happened with Angel. The security tapes had shown the robed figure, from the back, give Angel a ring with this stone in it, which he unfortunately, put on. So while he still had a soul, it was almost as if the ring were just making Angel 'high'. Residue from the stone, had been found on the floor.

Angelus had killed 3 employees on his way out of this office, and off to God knows where.

Wesley did not know how much Connor remembered about Angelus, but for now, he figured maybe it was best, not to involve the lad in any of this. But he was worried. They had used their resources at this law firm to try and track down Angel.

They had had no such luck. Where could he have gone?

Lex stared at the video of Connor and Chloe outside of his house earlier. Connor was quite a unique boy. He could be invaluable to Lex.

Lilah Morgan walked into Lex's study, smiling. He had no idea that she was really dead, or of just how much the Wolfram & Hart Senior Partners were helping him to fulfill his goals. They had represented Lionel Luthor for years, and Lex decided to keep them on as the Luthor family attorneys.

"Where is that animal?" Lex asked coolly.

"By 'animal', do you mean Angelus?"

Lex stood up.

"I think you know that his killing spree was not part of the plan. I suggest you reel your boy in. I just need him to bring Connor to me."

Lilah smirked and touched his lips.

"I'm not a fool, Lex."

"I never said you were."

"No, you would never be so impolite. You want BOTH Angel and Connor. That's why you had that green rock sent to Angel. You knew what it could do."

"Correction, dear, your R & D department, knew how it would affect him. But yes, I do want them both. The son of two vampires, who is not a vampire, and his father, the vampire with a soul."

"He's not the only one with a soul." Lilah corrected him.

Lex waved a hand!

"I know all about that other one. He's not the one I'm seeking. I can feel it."

"Ah, well, if that's all....."

"No, that's not all. I want to meet with this Angelus. It's time to get the ball rolling here."

"And you want me to somehow make this miracle happen? You know, all you had to do was leave that girl here, not bind her wound and the smell of the blood would've drawn him back here." Lilah said sarcastically.

Lex smiled thinly.

"Well, apparently I attracted other people without doing all of that. Lois was taken from this house....but I have a good idea where she is. And I have no intention of using her as bait. Now, bring me Angelus....by tonight."

Lilah shrugged, then nodded. She walked out of his study, now more suspicious than ever. Why was she getting the feeling that Lex wasn't being straight with her? Why did she get the feeling that this 'containment' of Angelus and Connor, was not about profit to Luthorcorp? 


	3. Night Class

Chapter 3

EVENING

Clark walked down a trail in Smallville Cemetery. The moon was full and bright, so he needed no flashlight to see.

His mind was not on his task at hand, however. It was on Lana.

She had given him that look. Clark didn't even know if Lana knew she had a particular look she gave him, when she thought he was lying. But it hurt him. He knew that Lana thought he was too secretive....that he kept things from her. And there were times when he wondered if he had made the right decision in not keeping his distance from her.

The problem was, he couldn't stay away from Lana. He didn't think he ever would be able to.

Still seeing nothing, Clark reached into his pocket. He was going to call the farm and see if Lois had improved at all. The sooner she awoke, and told them anything about what happened here, the sooner they could find out who was responsible for all of this mayhem.

Clark was just about to call home, when he heard a noise up a ways. He put his cellphone back into his jacket pocket and hurried up the trail. What he found when he got there, was the last thing he expected to see.

Connor, mysterious Connor with no last name, had just back handed something....some person....with fangs and a face that didn't look too wonderful! Clark stood back watching as Connor took on three of these things, which he was going to assume were vampires. Clark knew he should jump in, but for some reason, sensed just from what he was seeing, that Connor, for whatever reason, was more than capable of handling them.

Clark's eyes widened, as Connor leaped up high into the air, landing on top of headstone! He then brought up a wooden stake and flung it into the heart of one of the vamps. Clark's mouth dropped open, as the creature turned to dust! One, of the two that were left, ran off, while the one remaining, ran to a headstone, pulled it up out of the dirt and proceeded to fling it at Connor, who had just jumped down to the ground.

Instinct took over, as Clark, at lightening speed, moved between Connor and the oncoming headstone, as it hit him and disintegrated on contact with his body. Clark then moved away just as quickly and hid behind a tree.

The vamp seemed stunned, not realizing that he had just been foiled by someone, or something, that moved faster than most vamps did.

Connor, however, was not that stunned. He brought up another stake and flung it into the heart of the beleaguered vamp! There was a dramatic pause, and for a moment, both Connor, and Clark, who was watching, thought maybe he had missed the heart.

But the vampire disintegrated with a howl, soon enough. Connor sighed, then looked around. He stared right at the tree Clark was standing behind.

"You know, if you hadn't interfered, the other one might not have gotten away!" Connor called out, somewhat irritated. From his count, not many vamps had been made yet. If he could kill them all, then there would be no need for the citizens of Smallville to be relegated behind doors, when the sun came down.

Galled, Clark came out from behind the tree. He walked up to Connor.

"What are you?"

"I should be asking you that."

"I don't know what you mean. And if you think that I'm not going to tell Chloe about what I saw going on with you...." Clark huffed.

Connor burst out laughing! Clark folded his arms.

"What's funny?"

"What's funny? That you would threaten me like that, when I just saw a concrete headstone break across your very being, and you still look fresh as a daisy here!"

Clark eyed him.

"You saw that?"

"Yeah, Clark, I saw that! I also know that you're not human."

Clark said nothing to that. Connor didn't elaborate. Clark Kent, from day one, never smelled like other humans. But he wouldn't get into the smelling thing now.

"Look, I don't care anything about you, Kent. You're secret is safe with me. I want to know why you're hiding Lois at your parents farm?"

"How the hell do you know that?! And how could you have seen me just now and....."

"I'm not going to say anything to anyone, okay? I don't have time for this! Why are you lying to Chloe about Lois?"

Clark stared him down.

"I think you'd better do some explaining, Connor, of your own. From what I saw here, you're not without special talents yourself."

"Kent...."

"These murders happened around the time that you arrived! I'm not telling you anything! And if you go near the farm...."

Connor nodded.

"I see. So this is your way of saying you think I've been killing people? You think I made those vamps over there, just so I could slay them?"

"I don't know! I don't know anything about you! And apparently neither does Chloe!"

Connor walked up to him.

"That's the real problem here, isn't it, Kent? You don't know what, or who, you want. Is it Lana? Or is it MY girlfriend? Or even her cousin? You must be awfully fond of Lois to go out of your way like this for her."

"Chloe and Lois are my friends, especially Chloe. I won't stand by and watch you hurt her."

"Coming from someone that has, many times over!"

"Is that what Chloe told you?"

"She didn't have to. Look, I'm going back to the dorms to wait for Chloe. She has an evening class, and I don't want her out here alone."

"Oh, how noble of you!"

Connor smiled patiently at him.

"Lana probably needs protecting too. But then of course you've got Lois stashed at the farm as well. Who do you got to? Lana? Or Lois? Clark, when I see Chloe, I'm going to tell her that you had her cousin out your family's farm and let her suffer from worry."

"That's not how it was! Lois is sick!"

Connor clenched his jaw.

"Sick how?"

Clark took a deep breath.

"She was bitten. I found her at Lex's place."

"I knew it!"

Clark didn't respond to that, since he was still unsure of how Connor figured that one out! 

"Anyway," Clark continued reluctantly, "I took her from Lex's and my parents are taking care of her now. She has antibiotics to keep away infection."

"So, she survived the attack....probably from one of the vamps I dealt with tonight. That other one could be heading to the university as well."

"Then I'm going with you!" Clark snapped. "You know more, much more than you're telling. You should go to the police."

"And tell them about tonight?"

But Clark was not about to be threatened. Not by the likes of Connor with no last name!

"Tell whoever you want, Connor! No one will believe you. But maybe they will listen to me, when I point out that these murders began happening, when you showed up here."

Clark turned and walked off. Connor watched him. That was the second time Clark had pointed that out. And it was not something lost on him either, making him wonder if he himself, was the key to this thing?

Angelus stuffed the dead professor in the closet, then adjusted the spectacles he had stolen off of the man. It was too bad he couldn't see his reflection, because he was sure that he looked quite distinguished!

A few students began to filter in, and it was all Angelus could do to keep from slaughtering them right at this moment! But, he knew to bide his time. He would get a full class, and a full stomach, soon enough.

These universities were priceless! Especially the ones that offered, 'night classes'. Angelus grinned, sitting down behind the desk and looking over his predecessor's things. What was this class about anyway? He figured he would go into the lesson plan a little, to put everyone at ease, and then....well, some would be dead before they knew it. Others would be pleading for mercy.

Angelus looked over to his right. There were windows. They pushed outward. He might have to let a few go....that is if any of his victims could quell their shaking hands long enough to get the latches undone.

He got up and looked out. He then grinned again! The drop was quite high, so any 'jumper's' would die anyway. Perfect!

Angelus sat back down again and glanced over the lesson plan, before his eyes fell upon the magnificent ring, that had rescued him from the hell he had been living in, once again. The hell where he 'cared about people and life' and drank that crappy pigs blood!

But still, that thing, the one that had brought him the ring, once it slipped it onto his finger, he knew why he was in Smallville. He knew what his purpose was.

His kid! That damned kid that Darla didn't stake at birth! Oh, yeah, she staked herself before she could do that. And 'Angel' was too busy sucking up to the snotty little bastard, to have done the deed himself!

But then again, Connor(Connor, Jesus, what kind of name was that anyway?! If he had had a say, and had decided NOT to stake the lad, he would've named him something strong, like Promotheous...or Duke)wasn't really of pure vampire stock, for reasons he had yet to figure out.

Nope! Angelus figured his boy needed to be taught a lesson in manners and respect. First, he would kill that girl that his son was wasting his time with. The shaggy haired blonde. Then, he would kill Connor, and anyone else that got in his way. Then, he was going to go look up Drusilla! That damned Spike! No, correction! He was going back to L.A. to kill Spike, then he would look up Dru!

Wait! Angelus came up with a better idea! Beat the hell out of Spike, force him to come along with him and find Dru and then he and Drusilla could torture Spike together....and force him to watch them have sex! Now that sounded like his idea of pure pleasure!

But he first had to get the annoying little stuff out of the way.

Chloe was about to walk into her 'Science For Everybody' class, when she saw Lana walking up.

"Lana? I thought you dropped this class?"

Lana sighed.

"I didn't get a chance yet. That and I have found myself without anything to do tonight."

"Oh.....Lana, I'm sorry about earlier...."

Other kids began to move past them to enter the room. Chloe moved out of the way. Lana smiled at her.

"It's okay. I know you were just worried about Lois. Did you find her at Lex's?"

"No. Connor said she wasn't there anymore. I know, it doesn't make any sense to me either, how he would know anything about this. But I trust him, Lana. I trust him more than I've ever trusted any guy. His coming into my life.....he has almost become my life."

"Chloe, I didn't realize how deeply you felt about him."

Chloe shrugged, lowering her voice and looking around.

"I guess once we began sleeping together....well....it just changed things. Connor made my first time everything I could've dreamed of."

Lana was oddly touched by that. She looked down.

"Well, let's hope that Clark can perform the same kind of magic on me."

"Clark and you haven't...."

"It's complicated. There never seems to be a right time....I don't know. I think we should just make plans to go ahead and get it over with."

Chloe touched her arm.

"Lana, you can't think of it like that. Clark and you love one another. He probably just wants to make sure it's right....like Connor did for me."

Lana nodded. "I guess we'd better get in there."

Chloe nodded. They walked in and found seats. Angelus watched them from his desk, trying hard to keep from laughing! He had overheard their whole conversation from inside the room! His eyes fell upon Lana. Whoever this ponce was, that this beauty was dating, obviously didn't know how to please her!

Change in plans! Angelus decided that he would turn the enchanting brunette, into a vampire, one that would belong to him. He would skip hunting down Dru( though he did so want to torture Spike!) and spend time schooling his newest vampiress in the ways of love!

Lana glanced up at the front. The professor smiled at her. Lana smiled back. He was cute. Lana looked over at Chloe.

"Is that the professor?"

"No. If he had looked like that I would've come to every lecture." she answered.

Lana nodded and sat down. Angelus stood up.

"I'm Mr. Angelus. I'm subbing for....for...."

"Todd. Todd Michaels." a student called out. "We usually call him Todd."

"And you'll call me, Mr. Angelus." Angelus said tartly. "Now, I see from 'Todd's' notes, you've been learning about molecules?"

"Yeah!" another student called out.

Angelus was beginning to feel ravenous! That and that brunette with the cat like eyes....he decided to speed things along!

"Well, we're not going to be talking about that, this evening. Tonight, we're going to discuss biology."

"Biology?" Another student called out. "We have an exam next week on molecules."

Angelus realized he would have to kill the know-it-all first! Angelus licked his lips.

"Yes, well tonight there's been a change in plans. We're going to talk about biology....mating rituals."

Chloe looked at Lana and mouthed 'mating rituals' to Lana. Lana shrugged.

"That's right, kiddies! Mating rituals between humans....and vampires."

The know-it-all student stood up and began packing up his things! Lana glanced back at him.

"Now where do you think you're off to?" Angelus asked slyly. Chloe frowned. Was it her imagination or did Mr. Angelus just use an Irish brogue?

"I'm leaving and in the morning, I'm going to the administration to report you! I need this class towards my major, and we're all paying good money to learn about molecules! This deviant shit...."

"Deviant shit? My, now I am going to have to insist that you apologize."

"Oh for what?! For swearing?"

"No, for insulting your classmates....and yourself."

Chloe now felt on edge, as did many of the other students. What the hell was this guy talking about?!

The rebel student looked around, then turned and reached for the doorknob. Angelus shot over there, and grabbed his arm.

His hand was left clutching the knob....seperate from his arm, of course.

Everyone began to scream and scramble from their desks! A few male students threw desks at the teacher, but he deflected them off easily. Chloe and Lana clung to one another, over by the closet.

"Chloe! In here! Maybe he won't notice that we're...." Lana trailed off as she reached for the knob.

But as Lana whipped open the closet door, the body of their real teacher fell out! People really began crying and wailing then! Angelus grinned over at them, then turned back to the student who was without a hand. Grabbing him up the by chin, he threw him towards a window, for which he crashed through, and down onto the ground to his death!

Girls sank to the floor, in hysterics! Some boys did too, but a few, still tried to reason with him.

"Hey, dude, we don't want any trouble, okay?"

Angelus threw up his hands!

"Hey, 'dude', I was just trying to get the little bastard to apologize! You see, when I said that the class was about mating between vampires and humans, I assumed he was referring to humans as 'deviants'! I mean, surely, he wasn't referring to me!"

It was then that Angelus revealed his vamp face! Chloe began to shake!

"Oh my God! That's the thing that's been killing people!" she screamed.

Tears of fright began to stream down Lana's cheeks.

Connor and Clark were just walking up to the science building, when a student's body came crashing down onto the ground, a few feet away! Horrified, they both ran to the now dead college student!

Connor could see no bite marks on him. Clark looked up towards the window.

"I can hear screams!" Clark shouted, racing away and into the building. Meanwhile, Connor sensed Chloe, and Lana were inside and.....and someone else.

Connor jumped up, until he caught on to the ledge of the windows, outside of the room. He then hoisted himself up onto it and looked in.

He wanted to die right there and then.

Angelus was advancing on Chloe and Lana, who were huddled in a corner. All of the other students were either quivering in other corners of the room, or on the floor, in the fetal ball position.

Connor crashed through a window, just as Clark burst into the room! Angelus didn't know which way to turn, but grinned when he saw his son leaping towards him!

"Hello, son! So nice to...."

That was all he got out, as Connor knocked him to the ground and began punching him! Why was Angel doing this?! Why?! What had happened to him?! Wesley had to have known what was going on!

"Son?!" Chloe screeched. Clark hurried over to the two of them, just as students began to hurry out of the now open door. Clark had been careful not to break it in too violently, lest he cause any suspicion.

"You two get out of here!" Clark yelled. But Lana wouldn't let him go!

"No! Clark, you come with us!"

Chloe ignored both of them and focused in on Connor!

"Connor! Connor!" she screamed.

Connor stopped beating on his father, long enough to look back at Chloe. It was also long enough for Angelus to recover, knock Connor back, pick him up and throw him through the last bunch of unbroken windows!

"CONNOR!" Chloe screamed. Angelus advanced upon her, but Clark tried to shove him, back, when he suddenly felt ill! Ill, like how he felt whenever he ran into.....

The vampire was wearing a Kryptonite ring.

"Chloe, Lana, get out of here!" Clark yelled again, grabbing them both, harder than he intended to. Angelus grabbed Clark and threw him back into a wall!

"CLARK!" Lana screamed, as she was shoved out of the door, along with Chloe, by two male students, who had grabbed the girls, while Angelus was closing in on Clark. Once out of the door, Chloe began to run down the stairs in tears, hurrying to get outside to Connor! Oh God! Don't let him be dead!

Another student grabbed Lana's arm and began to pull her towards a downstairs exit!

"My boyfriend...."

"It's too late! He saved us and he wouldn't want you going back in there and getting killed!" the male student cried, pulling a struggling Lana down the stairs as well. Lana was now sobbing.

Meanwhile, Clark was struggling to stand up. He needed to make sure Lana and Chloe were alright....and Connor.... there was no way that guy had survived that fall! He had to get away from this creature....

"So you're the one that isn't giving that lovely enchantress what she needs!" Angelus crowed, closing in on him.

"What?" Clark asked weakly, trying to overcome the sickness that was enveloping him.

"Your virgin girlfriend? I heard her talking before class! How long do you think a girl like that is going to wait to be satisfied? Well, I'm here to let you know, that I would be happy to do the honors. To be her first. And I promise, I will be 'gentle'!" Angelus almost sneered with glee.

Clark was momentarily stunned when the vampire leaped down upon him! But Angelus howled and stumbled back! He was now bleeding....from the mouth! Angelus screeched, unable to believe what had just happened! This....this...THING...that certainly didn't SMELL human, had just broken his fang! He had tried to bite him on his neck, and his fang broke off! Christ! He had to find a dentist and fast! This could ruin his smile!

Angelus turned and ran out of the room! Clark, feeling much stronger, jumped up and hurried after him, but then stopped, and ran in the other direction. He had to make sure Lana was safe! And.....he wanted to know why that monster had called Connor, 'son'!

Angelus hurried out of a fire exit and ran across the lawn of the darkened campus! Jesus, the pain from his fang! He stopped suddenly and leaned against a tree, changing his face back to normal. Who, or what, had he broken his fang on?! He had sensed that that boy was holding back in unleashing his full power on him. And even now, with this maddening pain from his mouth, Angelus found the whole idea of facing off with that being again, fascinating! He wanted to know more and.....

A dart hit him in the back of the neck! Angelus dropped onto the grass with a thud, as Lilah, and two Wolfram & Hart henchmen walked over to his body.

"Pick him up and take him to Mr. Luthor." Lilah ordered them. Both henchmen grabbed one of Angelus's arms and dragged him off. Lilah pulled out her cellphone. She had plans of her own. First, she was going to call Lex and give him an update. Then she was going to do a little more snooping. She was getting the same feeling she had before about Lex's involvement in this thing. It just didn't make any sense. There was something else going on here. Someone more personal. And Lilah meant to find out just what that was.

Lex hung up his cellphone and knocked on the Kent Farmhouse door. Lilah had just given him the update on Angelus. Lex was quite pleased.

Martha opened the door.

"Uh, Lex....Clark isn't here."

"I know. I'm here to see how Lois is."

Martha eyed the barn. Jonathan was out there. She didn't know how to quite handle this.

"Mrs. Kent, I know that your family must have your doubts about me. But you must believe me when I tell you, I rescued Lois from a killer. I didn't know what, or who, we were dealing with. I took her back to my mansion for her own safety. By keeping Lois here, you're endangering your own lives."

"Lex, I don't know what you're talking about, I'm sorry." Martha said firmly. She then noticed that his eyes moved past her, and focused on something behind her. Martha turned around.

Lois had limped down the stairs in her nightgown. It appeared as if she were still trying to get her bearings. She looked at Martha.

"How did I get here?" she asked. Martha rushed over to her, while Lex opened the screendoor and stepped inside. 


	4. Captured!

Chapter 4

"Lois, you should go back upstairs!" Martha scolded, putting an arm around her, and helping her into a chair. Lex watched them.

"I'm feeling much better, thank you, Mrs. Kent. How did I get here? The last thing I remember...."

Lois's voice trailed off, as she suddenly remembered Lex being in the graveyard! She stood up, shakily, looking over at Lex. Martha tried to ease her back into a chair, but Lois shook her off. Her ankle was killing her though!

"No, Mrs. Kent, really, I'm alright. I'm feeling stronger by the second. What did you do to that thing in the graveyard?"

Martha shook her head in confusion.

"Thing?"

Lois tore her eyes away from Lex's very attractive ones....God, why was she thinking that?!

"Yes, Mrs. Kent. Some zombie thing attacked me. It bit me on the neck....and broke my ankle, I think."

"That was a vampire, Ms. Lane. And yes, the doctor said you'll be on crutches for awhile. I staked the creature, then brought you back to my home." Lex explained.

"Why? Why didn't you take me to a hospital? And why did you dump me off here? No offense, Mrs. Kent."

"None taken, Lois. Look, maybe I can answer that better. Clark brought you here." Martha said.

"Yes," Lex jumped in, "though how he managed to slip from my house undetected is still a mystery. Then again, I don't have security cameras in the wing you were in."

Lois tore her eyes from him and looked at Martha again.

"Clark took me from Lex's? Why?"

"Honey, he was afraid for you...as am I. We thought you may have seen the killer and for all we knew, you were still in danger. The police thought Lex had done something to you....and to be perfectly honest, we couldn't be sure that he hadn't. Sorry, Lex."

"No need to be sorry, Mrs. Kent. Ms. Lane, you should feel fortunate that so many people care for you."

"Uh, yes. Look, do I have any clothes here or anything? I need to get going. I've inconvenienced you enough, Mrs. Kent."

"Uh, no, I'm sorry. Why don't we call Chloe and she can bring you some things?"

"That sounds nice, thanks, Mrs. Kent."

"Although I would feel better if you just stayed one more full day, Lois. Really, you haven't eaten anything and you need to regain your strength."

"I would agree with Mrs. Kent, Ms. Lane. You should stay here until you're fully recovered from your attack."

Lois eyed Lex again. What the hell was his angle? What was he even doing here? Maybe he was here to see Clark or something?

"I should let Jonathan know that you're alright. He's out in the barn."

"I'll be fine, Mrs. Kent, really." Lois said, sensing she did not want to leave her with Lex. She smiled at her, as she walked out of the house and headed towards the barn. Lex waited until the door closed before he spoke.

"They are overprotective, aren't they?" he noted.

Lois said nothing to that. She vaguely remembered calling Mrs. Kent, 'Mom', and was embarrassed by that. Lois tried to stand, but felt immediate pain from her ankle. Lex reached out and settled her back into a chair.

"You should listen to Mrs. Kent. Let me get you some water or something."

"How about you tell me why you were in that graveyard the other night?"

"To catch the killer."

Lois snorted!

"You? You were trying to catch this vampire, killer thing? By yourself?"

"Ms. Lane...."

"It's Lois. Look, I was there to get a story, and get a glimpse of one of these 'rising vampires'...maybe even a picture. It backfired, badly. So thanks for helping me out, but I'm not in any danger. I mean I saw you stake the vampire."

Lex frowned.

"Maybe you're not aware of how this stuff works. This vampire stuff. Because the one that attacked you was not the only one there is. Someone came to town and started this whole chain of events."

"You mean the main vampire?"

"Yes, Lois. And I have him at my home."

"What?!"

Lex walked up to her.

"I know how ambitious you are."

"You do, do you?"

"I do." Lex affirmed, smiling at her. "That and catching this particular vampire, is very important to me.....and to you."

Lois stared at him.

"You're talking about more than just me getting this story, right? Something else is going on here, isn't it?"

The phone rang just then. Lois sighed, realizing that she was really the only one around to answer it. Someone would freak if they heard Lex's voice at the other end!

Lex picked up the portable and handed it to Lois. Their fingers touched briefly, before she hit the answer button.

"Kent residence?"

"Lois? Is that you? Are you alright?" Clark asked.

Lois glanced up at Lex.

"I'm fine. I'll get your parents....."

"Just tell them that Lana, Chloe and I are on our way there! Lana and Chloe were attacked by the killer."

Lois sat up!

"Oh my God! Are they alright?"

"Shaken, but not hurt, thank God. Although Connor wasn't so lucky."

"He's hurt?"

"Hurt and missing! Listen, I want the girls to stay out at the farm as well, until we can find out what's going on."

"Uh, yeah....I'll tell your parents right now."

"Thanks, Lois, we're almost there."

"Then I guess I'll see you when I see you, goodbye." Lois said hanging up. Lex took the phone from her and put it back on to it's base.

"I have a clean pair of clothes for you to wear out in my car. I think you'll want to meet this man."

Lois stood up, ignoring the pain and leaning on the top of a nearby chair.

"That was Clark on the phone"  
"So I gathered."

"Chloe and Lana were almost killed by that maniac you're hiding! Now if you don't go to the police, then I will!"

Lex walked up to her.

"But if you go to the police, Lois, then you'll never be able to have justice.... of your own."

Lois backed away a little.

"What is this, Lex? What the hell is going on with you? Why would you think that I'd want 'justice' from this creep? He's not the one that bit me."

"No. But he did kill your aunt.....your aunt Jenny, correct? Your deceased mother's only sister?"

Lois felt herself grow cold. Her aunt Jenny Calender, had been murdered several years ago in a town called Sunnydale. It was in California somewhere. Some creep had broken into the school she worked at, Sunnydale High, one night and broken her neck. The police never did catch her murderer.

Lois slowly sat down again.

"How do you know about that?" she asked softly.

"Lois, this man killed my nanny....a woman by the name of Pamela Jenkins. She and my mother had been close....and well....we'd renewed our friendship, about four years ago. Then, on a trip to L.A., she was killed. Yes, Ms. Lane, the man that killed my nanny, and your aunt, is a prisoner in my home. The police aren't equipped to handle him alone. We may have to take care of this ourselves."

Lois did not answer, as she was lost in memories. She had clung to her aunt Jenny when she was a child, but her aunt did not get along with her father, so there were many years that they did not get to see one another. But that didn't lesson Lois's affection for her, or her heartbreak when she heard she had been murdered....the last link to her mother.

Lois hopped towards Lex.

"I want to meet this sonofabitch....face to face!" Lois hissed. Lex nodded, smiling.

"I figured you'd want to. I also have a pair of crutches for you at the mansion."

"You left her alone with Lex?! You took long enough to tell me that, Martha!" Jonathan yelled, incredulous. He was hurrying back towards the house.

"Jonathan, I don't think Lex is a killer, okay? I'm sure Lois is fine. She looks well enough, but until we can get her a pair of crutches, and she regains her strength, she should stay with us."

"I agree, but let's just get her away from Lex, okay? I don't trust him." Jonathan huffed, hurrying up the stairs. Lex's car was still on the property. Jonathan opened the door first, and found Lex sitting down, reading a magazine.

"Where's Lois?" Jonathan asked, his tone brittle. Martha appeared behind him a short while later.

"Upstairs taking a shower." Lex said casually, tossing aside the magazine. He stood up.

"I want you to leave, now Lex." Jonathan said firmly.

"Oh, I will Mr. Kent. But Lois is coming with me."

"No, she's not."

Lex gave him a half-smile.

"Mr. Kent, believe me, she wants to come with me. I'm not forcing her to do anything."

Lois hopped down the stairs, dressed in a new pair of clothes that Lex had found somewhere. She doubted very much that he had actually purchased them for her!

"Mr. Kent, he's right." she said, hopping over to him and Martha. "There is something I have to take care of, and only Lex can help."

Martha looked at Jonathan. She didn't like the sound of that at all!

"Uh, why?" Martha asked. Jonathan shook his head.

"I don't think that's wise, Lois. I think it's time we called your father."

"Mr Kent...."

Suddenly the sound of a car screeching, got their attention. Lois remembered that Clark had called!

"Uh, Mrs. Kent, I forgot, Clark called! There's been trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" Martha asked, as Jonathan rushed outside. Martha followed after him. Lex reached out for Lois's hand.

"My car is on the side of the house. Let's go out of the back."

"Yeah but your car can be seen from the front."

"Yes but look at what's going on out there. Lana is a wreak. So is Chloe."

"I should stay...."

"Ms. Lane...."

"Lois."

Lex smiled. "Fine, Lois. I don't know how long I can keep this creature contained, without putting my staff in significant danger. Now Mr. Kent is about to call your father in. Do you really want the General coming down here?"

Lois shook her head no. Lois clasped Lex's hand and hopped quickly along with him.

"Just lean on me, alright?"

Lois nodded. She liked leaning on him. She actually liked HIM for some reason. Quite a lot.

"Oh damn!" Jonathan cursed, as soon as he got back inside. Lois and Lex were nowhere to be found. Martha was fixing something for Chloe and Lana, while Clark sat beside them. Clark looked up.

"What is it, Dad?"

Chloe stood up though.

"Thanks everyone for caring, but Clark I need to find Connor."

Clark stood up as well.

"I will go and look for him. My father and I both will. He's alright."

"How can he be? He probably crawled away, hurt, or something."

"Clark and his father will find him." Martha answered, handing Chloe and Lana, some cider. Lana shook her head.

"I'm just tired...." her voice broke. Martha put an arm around her.

"Let's get you to bed. We have some spare room now." she said, giving Clark a pointed look. He looked confused, but broke off eye contact to focus in on Chloe. He then looked at his father.

"Maybe I should go alone. You should be here to look out for everyone."

"Clark, you saw that maniac! He almost killed you! You can't face him alone!" Chloe cried. Jonathan gave Chloe a reassuring smile, then pulled Clark out onto the porch.

"What did she mean by that, son?"

"Dad, the vampire....it's wearing a green Kryptonite ring."

"What?"

"Yeah, I know. I wasn't much help. The thing tried to bite me and broke off a fang. That was the only way I escaped."

"Oh Clark! Damn, how do you expect to face off against this thing then? Maybe we have no real choice but to just let the...."

"Dad," Clark said, lowering his voice. "This thing is related to Connor. He called him 'son'."

Jonathan glanced back towards the porch door.

"The same Connor you don't trust?"

"Yeah. Dad, he's got some kind of powers of his own, though I've seen him during the day, so he's not a vampire. I don't think Connor is that hurt. He's probably trying to just think what his next move is. If that vampire is a relative of his, well, it complicates things."

"I should say so. Still, just because he has powers, doesn't mean he can heal like you can. I don't know...."

"I'll be fine. I'll just look around some familiar haunts, that's all. Besides, that vampire was howling like there was no tomorrow. With a hurt fang, he might be out of commission, temporarily. So just take care of Lana, Chloe and Lois...."

"Lois!" Jonathan hissed, hurrying down the porch and around the side of the house. Lex's car was gone! Damn!

"What?" Clark asked, catching up to him.

"Lois is gone, Clark. She left with Lex."

Lana smiled weakly at Martha Kent, as she closed the door to the room she had gotten ready for her. She laid down on the bed and closed her eyes.

But everytime she did, she saw him. Mr. Angelus.

Lana sat up and sighed. Thank God, Clark was alright! How he escaped that monster, she would never understa....

Lana looked over to her right, and picked up a pill bottle off of the nightstand. Antibiotics? For Lois Lane? Lois was here? Lois, who was missing?

Connor stood in the woods surrounding the Luthor mansion. He was on his cellphone to Wesley Wyndam-Pryce again.

"Slow down, Connor! You've seen him? You've seen, Angel?"

"Oh please! Like you didn't know!"

"We did not know where he was! I swear it! Look, I'll be out there with re-inforcements...."

"What happened? Why is he like this? He's lost his soul, hasn't he?"

"No! No, it's the ring! Angel should be wearing a ring with a green stone on it. It's the stone that's making him act like this. Remove the ring, and he should be back to normal. Connor, tell me where you...."

But Connor hung up, trying not to wince from his wounds! Thank God! His father had not turned back into the soulless bastard he was once was, hundreds of years ago! This was a trick of some sort!

He had been so shocked, seeing his father in that classroom, that he had not noticed a ring. Connor put his cellphone back into his pocket, and pushed thoughts of Chloe out of his mind. He had had no choice but to get up and run, wounded. He couldn't let her see that he had the ability to heal much faster than a normal human being.

His thoughts went to Clark, briefly. Clark had not killed Angel either. Why? What happened? How had he allowed Angel to escape unscathed?

One of Lila's henchmen, grabbed the unconscious Angelous's ring finger, snatched it off, then put it into a box.

Angel began to moan and come around, just as Lex helped Lois in through a cellar door. Lilah eyed them.

"Who's this?" she asked. But Lilah knew. Lilah knew everything now.

Lois gave her a cursory glance as well, as Lex eased her into a chair.

"Lex? Who is this? His trainer?" Lois asked, her tone sarcastic.

"Excuse me for just a moment, Lois." Lex said, pulling Lilah out of earshot.

"Your job is done, leave us."

"Uh, no, Lex. You see, while we work for you, there is no way the senior partners want their prized CEO killed. Damaged, maybe, but not killed."

"I have no intentions of killing him."

"I know you don't. But who knows what the Army plans on doing." Lilah answered, giving him a smug look.

"I don't know what you mean." Lex said coolly.

"I think you do. I know all about your deal with General Sam Lane. If any of what you had told me, made any sense in the first place, Lex, I wouldn't have had to dig to find this out. Is that her?"

Lex glanced back at Lois, who was staring at Angel, who had just opened his eyes. He looked back at Lilah.

"Yes."

"Hmmm. Well good luck with that. And someone will be back for Angel."

"Since you know about my 'deal' with the general, then you know that you can't have Angel back. The deal is for both Angel and Connor. And he should be coming along any minute." 


	5. Meet Angel

Chapter 5

Connor was now outside of the cellar door, unsure of how he was going to proceed. Things were different now. He knew Lex and Lois were in there, though why Lois was back at Luthor manor, and not at the Kent farm, he did not know.

Sensing someone behind him, he turned to find Clark Kent, breathing down his neck!

"Well, you don't look any worse for wear. Chloe's worried sick about you. She's back at the farm, so let's go."

"I'm not coming with you, Kent. Just tell her I'm fine."

Clark blinked.

"What are you doing outside of Lex's anyway? That vampire is probably off tearing someone else's throat out! And it won't be long before the police want to talk to everyone that was in that night class, so whatever you're doing here...."

"My father is inside. My father is that vampire that attacked the class tonight."

There was a silence. Connor tilted his head.

"No smirk, Kent? Wow!"

"I wouldn't laugh about having an animal like that for a father." Clark said calmly. Actually, the whole thing hit a little too close to home for his tastes. His own father, Jor-El, was not the most loving of beings. He shuddered to think what his life would've been like, living with such a cold, emotionless man.

Then of course, he himself would've been cold and emotionless too. So chances were, he wouldn't have known what he was missing anyway.

"Well then you know why I have to do what I have to do." Connor said.

"Uh, no!" Clark said sarcastically. "Why are you here?"

Now Connor was confused!

"You're here to kill Angelus, right?"

"Is that his name?"

"Yes! Never mind, I guess you wouldn't know that. Look, he's here because of me. But he's not usually like this. My father has a soul. It's when he loses it, that he acts like this."

Clark rubbed his jaw.

"I didn't know that one could get a soul back?"

"Well in his case, my father hasn't actually lost his."

"I thought you said...."

Connor sighed. These things were so hard to explain to outsiders, or people that just weren't used to everyday vampire life.

"I found out that there is a ring on my father's finger. A ring with a big, green rock in it. It's giving him this feeling of bliss. That's why he's acting this way."

"Connor, you have totally lost me. What does bliss and having a soul have to do with one another? He's your father, so if you can make him act right, fine. But if you can't...."

"It's the rock." Connor said shortly. "He'll be fine once it's off of his hand."

Clark nodded. He knew he would not have the strength to pull it off himself. And he did understand about Kryptonite doing strange things to people. This town was full of stories.

"Okay, so, I'll get Lois, you go off and find your father."

Now Connor was lost!

"What the hell are you talking about, Kent?"

"Lois is in there, right? She was staying at the farm and she left. My parents don't think it's wise that she be with Lex right now. I'll go in and get her, you go off and find your father."

"My father is inside." Connor repeated.

Clark felt cold suddenly. He now realized what Connor had been trying to say before.

"Your father is actually in there with Lois and Lex? We have to get in there then...."

"No! Look in through that window." Connor ordered him. Clark didn't have to, since he had already done a cursory glance with his x-ray vision. He could see someone sitting down in a cage, and five people in various places, outside of it.

But Clark went up to the window anyway. He watched as Lois hopped over to the cage and kicked at it! He frowned, then saw Lex talking to some woman, and over in the far corner were two men. They were just closing a box with the ring in it.

"Connor, the ring is off of your father's finger!"

Connor peeked in as well. He could see that both of Angel's hands were bare. He looked at Clark.

"Then my father should be fine. Why does Lex have him in a cage?"

And why did Lois kick at the cage, Clark wondered. He looked at Connor again.

"So do you want to go in through this door?"

"How many of them can you take?" Connor asked.

"My main concern is getting Lois out of there. And to be honest, I'm wondering if you plan on taking your father to the police, once you get him out of that cage?"

"Actually, I'm wondering why Lex Luthor has him captured like that in the first place? Why doesn't he call the police? And those people....the woman talking to Lex looks vaguely familiar, but I can't think why."

"Do you think she's a vampire too?" Clark asked. He peered in again. She was pretty to be one.

"I don't know. I do know that Angel isn't going to just rest and let these people come back for him. I guess I'll just break in the door and you follow me, okay?"

Clark nodded. It was fine with him. He wasn't interested in Connor's family drama. He just hoped that Chloe didn't get even more sucked into this guy's life, than she already was.

Angel awoke and saw a girl, that for some reason, reminded him of how Cordelia Chase used to look, staring at him angrily. Was she the one that had kicked the cage?

"Hello." Angel said, struggling to stand up. He noticed the girl was favoring one leg heavily. Angel's eyes swept past her to a bald guy and....

Those two men over in the corner were Wolfram & Hart employees! He didn't recognize the bald guy but the woman....

"Lilah. What is this? Huh? A plot by the Senior Partners to get rid of me?"

Lilah walked over to him, passing by a curious Lois. Her face touched the bars.

"Good evening, Angel. You're not in Kansas anymore. Oh, wait a minute, yes you are."

Angel glanced at the angry looking girl again, before staring at Lilah again.

"I'm in Kansas? Do I even want to know how I got here?"

"Actually," Lex interrupted, "do you want to know what you've been doing since you arrived here, Angel? Or should I call you, Angelus?"

Angel blinked. God, no! Faces were beginning to come back to him. Faces that looked terrified. He closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them again.

Lilah could see his horror and now grinned.

"Yes, that's right. You've been a very bad boy. Pretty soon we'll be calling this place, 'Sunnydale 2'. And your son....he's so ashamed of you."

"Connor? Connor is here?"

"Wait a minute! You're Connor's father? Connor is a vampire?" Lois asked, disgusted. Lex glanced over at her.

"No, Connor is human, though no one knows why. His mother was a vampire as well."

"Oh God! I have to tell Chloe!"

"Who's Chloe?" Angel asked. Lois looked him up and down.

"That would be your son's girlfriend, and my cousin. Someone you tried to murder tonight. Like you killed my aunt."

Angel closed his eyes again. He then opened them.

"I didn't know what I was doing. I can't explain it, I can try, but I know it won't undo the pain I've caused you. And believe me if I could, I would."

Lois was getting an odd feeling. She didn't know how to describe it, but she knew the reason for it. This guy actually LOOKED sorry.

Lex walked up to the cage as well now.

"Actually, you killed the young lady's aunt, some years ago. Jenny Calender? You do remember her, don't you?"

Angel looked at Lois again, who looked away. He didn't want to think about Jenny Calender. She had been the beginning of the end of his life in Sunnydale. The end of his life with Buffy.

"And you killed Lex's poor nanny too!" Lois huffed. She suddenly didn't want to be here. She looked at Lex.

"Let's just call the police, Lex, okay?"

Lex looked at Lois again. He walked over to her.

"You look tired. Why don't I help you up into the house and you can rest for a bit"  
"Lex, I didn't come here to take a nap. I just want to see his sorry ass dragged out of here by the police, okay?"

The cellar door suddenly burst open, and Connor and Clark rushed in! Connor punched Lex hard, sending him crashing into a concrete wall! Lois gasped, shocked at the strength her cousin's boyfriend had, as poor Lex sailed past her.

Clark rushed over to the unconscious Lex and checked him over. He would live. Clark would call an ambulance from his truck. He watched as Lilah and the two henchmen, took the box with the ring and left up the back stairs. What was that all about? They were just going to leave? Just like that?

Connor managed to pull the cage open, and Angel stepped out of it. They stared at one another briefly, before Connor spoke again.

"The ring is gone now."

"I know. But I still want to know what this is all about, Connor. And until we do, whoever, or whatever, could try this again."

Connor looked over at Lex.

"We have Lex. We'll make him tell us what is going on." he said. Now Lois had had it! She pointed at Angel.

"That sonofabitch is not going anywhere! I'm calling the police! Give me your phone, Clark!"

"It's out in the truck, Lois. Now I think we need to just get you out of here."

"He murdered my aunt. He's not going anywhere!" she snapped, giving Clark a dirty look. She then looked around and saw a crowbar sitting nearby. Clark knew what she was thinking before she could hop over to pick it up.

"Oh brother!" he muttered under his breath, and moved around her to snatch it out of her reach. He then held it away, while looking at Angel.

"I don't know what your story is, and I don't want to know. You need to stake the vampires you made and leave here." Clark said.

"We need to interrogate Lex." Connor answered stubbornly. Angel looked from his son, to Clark. Was it his imagination, or was there a little animosity between these two? Was it over this girl right here? And why didn't the guy with the crowbar smell human?

"Lex is my friend. I'm not going to let you 'interrogate' him." Clark insisted.

"Kent, he lied to you about Lois here. She's part of the plan. Now we're not going to kill him, but we need to know if he's coming after us. I need to know if I need to protect Chloe."

"We'll just take him upstairs, okay?" Angel said quietly.

Clark marveled at what a difference a ring made! The vampire was quite civil now. Clark nodded tersely, holding Lois back, as she tried to get around him. The two watched as Angel picked Lex up, threw him over his shoulder, and walked up the stairs with him.

Lois turned back to Clark.

"You just let them take Lex?"

"Lois, Lex is up to something here. Why was he in such an all fire hurry to take you from the farm tonight, anyway?"

"That monster killed my aunt, that's why! He wanted me to know that! He killed Lex's nanny and students from Smallville University! There's no telling what those two are going to do to him. Did you see how Connor threw him into the wall? Chloe needs to dump him and fast!"

Clark shook his head.

"I mean I agree with you on the Chloe part, but I don't know. But that Angel guy is just a completely different being from the one I saw earlier tonight. And his fang grew back, I think."

"What? You know what? Never mind! I'll take care of this myself!"

Clark snorted!

"How? And with what? That crowbar? Lois, you'll just be in the way. The sooner Lex tells the truth the better off we'll all be. Now I want to get back to Lana and Chloe. They've had a hard night and my parents are worried about you."

"So go, Clark! Nothing's stopping you." Lois snapped. "Now, can I have the crowbar back?"

"You know what? You're impossible! Now, you can leave this cellar one of two ways: you can lean on me, or, I can pick you up and toss you over my shoulder, like a grain sack." Clark said between gritted teeth. "Which is it going to be?"

Lois rolled her eyes! She didn't have time for this macho horse crap right now! Lex was in trouble and probably being eaten by the father and son vampire act right now!

Lois smirked at Clark and turned away, grabbing the crowbar he had dropped back onto the table. Clark sighed with resignation. He snatched the crowbar out of her hand, tossing it onto another table. When Lois turned back to confront Clark, that was when he picked her up effortlessly, throwing her over his shoulder and began to walk out of the cellar.

"So the grain sack it is." Clark said, as Lois tried to claw at his back and lost two nails in the process! Lois drew up his shirt and saw she didn't even make a dent! All of that farmwork must've really paid off for him!

"Ouch! My nail! Clark, put me down! Put me down this instant! I'm injured! You can't do this to me!"

"Your foot will be fine as long as you stay off of it." Clark said coolly. They were outside and heading towards his truck. "And if you don't stop all of that wriggling, I'll carry you into the house like this when we get back to the farm."

Lois went limp and Clark opened the passenger side door of his truck for her, dumping her inside. He then closed the door and hurried over to his side, getting in. Lois was sulking.

"Lex must've made quite an impression on you, for you to be so concerned about him." Clark noted, wondering why he felt so funny about it all of a sudden. Lois looked at him.

"That vampire killed my aunt. She was my mother's only sister. And now you expect me to just let him go? Lex understands what I'm going through."

"Lois, I'm sure Chloe will understand she hears about this. You have each other."

"Aunt Jenny was not her aunt. Chloe is my cousin through my father."

"Oh. Lois, you're tired. Once you get some sleep, real sleep, this will look different in the morning." he said, reaching out to touch her hair.

But she slapped his hand away. Clark drew his hand back and sighed. Neither one of them said anything, as Clark started the truck and left the premises.

Lilah and her henchmen stepped out from behind the brush. She signaled to one of them to go and get the car. The other looked at her.

"The Senior Partners will want you to come up with a compromise to appease the client." he warned.

Lilah nodded. She knew. Lex had made a deal with General Sam Lane. The General would have to be given something else, in lieu of Angel and Connor.

And she knew just what.

"Get the ring with the red rock in it, ready. I think that all parties will be appeased by my solution." she said, watching, as Clark's truck moved farther and farther out of her line of vision. 


	6. A Vile Plot

Chapter 6

Clark pulled the truck up in front of the house, then parked. He glanced over at Lois, who was in a full-fledge snit!

"Do you want me to help you out?"

"No!" she snapped.

"So, you're just going to what? Hop up to the house?"

"If I have to." she said, her tone cool now.

But she did not make a move to open the door. Clark continued to look at her until finally Lois said, "I need some time alone."

"Oh, okay. By the way, I'll be taking the keys."

"Fine, Clark, And I'm hurt that you'd think that I'd steal your truck while your back was turned."

"Yes, well I guess you'll have to be hurt, because I don't trust you." he said, getting out of the truck. He slammed his door and walked into the house.

But what Clark found waiting for him, made Lois's company preferable. Jonathan and Martha were sitting in the far corner of the room, giving him a warning look. Clark looked from them, to Chloe and Lana.

Chloe held up Lois's pill bottle.

"She was here? The whole time? Why? Why didn't you tell me?"

"And why did you lie to me, Clark?" Lana asked, her tone sounding distinctly wounded.

"I can explain...Lois can explain. I'll go and bring her in....she hurt her foot.....Dad, a little help?"

Jonathan Kent coughed and shook his head. He stood up.

"I think there's work to do out in the barn." he said gruffly. He never thought lying about Lois was a good idea in the first place. Martha stood up as well.

"We'll be out in the barn." she volunteered. They both left by the back door.

Meanwhile, Lois had managed to get the paneling off of the steering column of Clark's truck, using some of the junk that he kept in this thing. Farmboy sure kept a messy truck! She managed to hotwire the vehicle, keeping a careful eye on the front door. Then, sliding over gingerly into the driver's seat, Lois started the truck!

Clark whipped around and watched as Lois screeched off! Clark began to leave after her, when Lana jumped in front of him!

"Clark! Chloe and I want answers! Were you in that graveyard with Lois?" Lana demanded to know.

"How could you let me worry like that, Clark?" Chloe asked, sounding tired. Clark threw up his hands!

"She's gone again, you both do know that? She's going back over to try and rescue Lex."

"Rescue Lex?" Chloe asked.

"Yes, from Connor and his father." Clark said quietly. Lana frowned and looked from Chloe and Clark.

"Connor is working with his father?"

"His father isn't the same man that tried to kill all of us. He was wearing a ring with one of the meteor rocks in it. It affected him, in a negative way."

"It turned him into a vampire?" Chloe asked, suddenly feeling sick.

"No, Angel...."

"Angel? Now you're calling him 'Angel'? What was angelic about what that man did, Clark?" Lana demanded.

"Lana, that's his name! I'm just telling you what Connor calls him! When I found Connor, he was outside of Lex's house. Angel, Lex, Lois and some other people that worked for Lex, were there."

"Well let's get back to Lois. Why was she there? When did she leave here?" Lana demanded to know.

Chloe suddenly turned, ran upstairs and slammed the bathroom door! The sounds of her wretching could be heard throughout the house.

"Great, Clark, look what you've done!"

"Lana, what is it that I've done? I know I kept some things from you...."

"So what else is new?"

"But it was for your own good."

Lana grabbed his hands. "Clark, you can't make those decisions for me. You have to trust me enough to confide in me. I shouldn't have had to find Lois's medications. I should've have had to find out from your parents, that not only had Lois been here the whole time, but that you took her from Lex's in the first place! Why couldn't I know that?"

Clark gently squeezed her hands.

"I could say the same about you."

Lana gave him a look of confusion.

"I don't understand what you mean? I know you're not about to tell me that I've kept something from you?"

"When I was facing Angelus, that night in the classroom, he told me about how you were feeling about the two of us. About our making love...."

Lana gasped and tore her hands from his grip!

"I never told him anything!"

"Then how did he find out?"

"I don't know! I mean....alright, Chloe and I were kind of talking, but that was out in the hallway! You're telling me he heard us from way out there?"

"Vampires are known for having good hearing. Though, you still told Chloe about your feelings instead of me."

"Don't twist this thing around, okay? You still have a problem being honest with me about the littlest of things. You're still keeping secrets from me."

The sound of another truck pulling up got Clark's attention. He let go of Lana's hands and walked outside. It looked to be a bunch of neighbor farmers. One of them, Mr. Griffin, walked up onto the porch.

"Clark, where's your folks?"

"Out in the barn, Mr. Griffin. Is anything wrong?"

"Everything is wrong! We're having a town meeting about how to kill some of those vampires, especially that one that attacked the college students in class the other night." he said, turning and hurrying down the steps. Everyone got out of the truck and walked to the barn.

Clark felt a suddenly streak of anxiety. Angel would have to leave here right away, before someone staked him to death!

He turned back to Lana. She began to walk past him and out of the door. Clark grabbed her arm.

"Lana...."

"You know what, Clark? I'm going with the neighbors. I think I'll learn more at that town meeting than you ever plan on telling me."

"Lana, that's not true! If we could just sit down and I will tell you everything, I swear it!"

"The time to have told me, Clark, was when we were commiserating about how awful Lois's disappearance had to be on Chloe." she said firmly, turning again and walking out of the door. Clark watched as she headed towards the barn as well.

Clark rubbed his temples and sat down. He didn't want to deal with any of it right now. Not Lana, Lois, Chloe, Connor, Angel, Lex, any of it. How as this all of a sudden, his fault? How?

He suddenly felt tired. He would rest for a bit, before he checked on Chloe, tried to reason with Lana and went to Lex's house to retrieve his truck, and Lois.

Lois limped back around to the cellar door on the Luthor property, and found the door wide open still. Good!

She couldn't come through the front, hence she would alert Connor and his father. She limped over to the crowbar, that Clark had taken from her earlier. Picking it up, she slowly hopped up the stairs, emitting silent screams, at the pressure on her ankle. When she finally reached the top, she eased through the house, listening for some sign of Lex's being tortured.

She was rewarded with the sound of angry voices, some ways away. Lois hopped a little faster, before finally reaching a sitting room. She stood outside of the door, hiding in the shadows.

Lex was tied to a chair. His expression was one of pure fright. Lois clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from squeaking,

Connor's father had his vampire face on. Connor was picking up the little trinkets Lex kept around the room, as Angel spoke.

"Okay, Luthor! Let's try this again: first, I didn't kill your nanny."

"You did! In Los Angeles...."

"Hey, dumbass! I remember every face, of every victim! That picture I made you show me of her, isn't anyone I remember!" Angel almost snarled.

Connor set down a statue and walked back over.

"So why tell Lois that crap? Huh? What's up with that?"

Lex said nothing. Lois found herself more interested in hearing the answer to that, than saving him.

Angel reached out and grabbed Lex's collar.

"Tell us!" he hissed. But Lex smiled.

"If either of you were going to kill me, you would've done it already."

Angel backhanded him! Lex fell back into the chair. Connor sighed.

"Look, Lex, we can do this all day."

"Yeah, I can even bite you a little, then stop, then bite you again...." Angel offered.

"Okay, okay!" Lex yelled, pulling himself up off of the floor.

"What's going on Lex? Why were you keeping my father in that cage? You weren't going to turn him in, were you?"

"No." Lex said hoarsely. "At least, not to the police."

"Then to who?"

"The military....specifically to General Sam Lane....tomorrow morning."

"The military?" Angel repeated. "Now that's a new one. Somehow I still don't think we're getting the truth."

"No, Sam Lane is Lois's father." Connor confirmed. "He's also Chloe's uncle."

Angel looked at him.

"We're going to have to have a talk about this Chloe."

"If it's a birds and the bees talk, it's too late."

Both Angel and Lex looked uncomfortable at his words. Lex would've rather been bitten, than listen to the details of Connor and Chloe Sullivan's sex life! Angel was just uncomfortable period.

"The General wants both of you for a special project or something." Lex said.

"And what do you get out of this?" Angel asked.

"Just some formula."

"One that will make Luthorcorp very rich, I'm sure." Connor added wryly. Lex did not answer him.

"Okay," Angel said, shaking his head. "There's a part of the puzzle that's missing. That girl, the one that looks like....well the one who..."

"Who's aunt you murdered?" Lex said coolly. Angel gave him a savage look!

"Her name is Lois?" Angel asked, looking to Connor for confirmation. He nodded, then began to look around. Lois was here. She was nearby. He could smell her. He wondered if Angel could too.

Angel could. But if this Lois had wanted to reveal herself, she would have. She was listening in for whatever reason.

"What's Lois's part in this? You get this formula and her father gets us. Why drag her into this? And don't tell me it's because I killed her aunt."

Lex licked his lips.

"The General was given government money to start up a commando group that had been dismantled, some years ago called, 'The Initiative'. Ring a bell?"

Connor looked at Angel questioningly. Angel looked away. Spike told him a little about the group, having been a guest prisoner of theirs. He looked at Lex again.

"And a vampire, along with his human son, with abilities, would make a great asset, correct?"

Lex shrugged.

"I guess. Look, he wanted the both of you. I wanted the formula...."

"Which is what?" Angel asked.

"None of your business, and doesn't have anything to do with this particular situation. Before the General would even think of selling me what I wanted, he asked for my help in containing the both of you. He knew Connor was already here. He needed to get you here. He also wanted Angel, to be seen as a menace to the town, in case you couldn't be taken quietly. In case anyone found out and thought an innocent man and his son were being kidnapped."

"So you got Wolfram & Hart to help you with my transformation? That green ring?" Angel asked, now pretty much able to figure out the rest.

With the exception of one thing, of course. Lois.

Connor picked up one of Lex's prized statues and dropped it to the floor, shattering it. Lex turned red from anger!

"Hey!"

"Hey, yourself, Luthor! For the last damned time, what does Lois have to do with any of this? I doubt very much her father wanted her dragged into this!"

Angel stared at Lex. Something came to him.

"She's part of the deal too, isn't she?" he said. Connor looked over at Angel.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

But Angel was still staring at Lex.

"You want Lois, right?"

"No....not exactly. But she is part of the deal, yes. Her father wants her married, and to who better than me."

"Actually, I could think of a lot better!" Connor snapped, shaking his head. He knew Lois had to be dying, from her hiding place!

"So you're using her?"

"I was just trying to get to know her, so I could make the courtship a little easier."

"You used her feelings of grief towards her aunt, to try and romance her?" Angel asked, his tone dripping with contempt. "Smooth, Luthor! Real smooth!"

Suddenly Lois came out of her hiding place and hopped at a rapid speed, towards the surprised Lex! Connor and Angel moved aside, as she brought up her good foot and kicked him the privates!

Lex coughed, and fell over, tied to his chair, onto the ground. Lois waved the crowbar!

"I ought to beat you senseless! All those lustful looks you were giving me!"

"Lustful looks?!" Lex almost choked. "Lois, I do like you..."

"Careful, Luthor," Angel said wryly, "before you get kicked again!"

"I'm just trying to say that you have your moments when you're very desireable....not in a Lana way, but...."

Lois moved closer to him.

"Not in a LANA WAY?!"

Connor's eyes widened! Whoa! Lex had a thing for Kent's girlfriend?

"I ought to brain you for that comment alone! And I'm going to tell Clark and Lana that you're after her!"

"I'm not after Lana! I was just comparing your beauty to hers!"

Lois began to swing the crowbar, but then stopped and flung it down. She then turned and hopped out. Angel started go after her, but Connor stopped him.

"She's a lot like Chloe when she's been hurt. She just needs to be by herself. She must've cared about you some, Lex, for her to be that upset."

Lex said nothing, as he struggled to right himself in the chair. Connor faced Angel.

"I think we need to get out of this town."

"Yeah, I agree. I'll see if the Senior Partners at Wolfram & Hart will be willing to send Lilah back to her hell dimension." Angel said.

"Maybe it's better if I don't say goodbye to Chloe."

Angel blinked.

"Connor, you're not like me. You have a chance at real happiness. Chloe's uncle's plan is ruined here. I doubt very much he'll try anything, now that people know what he's up to. Especially if you explain it all to her. He wouldn't want his niece to be unhappy here."

Connor looked down.

"That's the real hurdle isn't it? Will she still feel the same way about me when I tell her? Or will I be forced to leave her anyway?"

Chloe laid on her bed at the Kent farmhouse. She heard nothing below, making her wonder if Clark and Lana had went out someplace?

Connor wasn't human. He couldn't be. Not with a father for a vampire.

Chloe sat up. No one knew, except for her, that she had been sick a lot like this lately. Only usually, it happened in the morning.

If she was pregnant, was her baby human? Or was it part vampire? She needed to find Connor. No, maybe she should find out if she was really pregnant, first.

Clark would never know what it was that woke him up. But his eyes opened to a black, hooded figure, hovering over him!

Clark jumped up, but the figure held out a chunk of green Kryptonite towards him. He automatically felt sick and weak. Lilah stepped into view just then. She held up a ring with red Kryptonite in it, then walked towards Clark, shoving it onto his hand. The hooded figure then disappeared, with the green Kryptonite, in a cloud of black dust. Lilah coughed, annoyed at the sudden, but brief bit of pollution, then watched as Clark suddenly smiled and stood up, his expression mischievous and full of contempt.

Lilah backed away, turned and walked out of the back of the farmhouse. It hadn't been hard to find out what she needed to about young Mr. Kent. All it had taken was torturing Bridgette Cosby, emissary to Dr. Virgil Swan, to death. The woman had told her all Lilah needed to know, thinking that her life would be spared.

Ms. Cosby was wrong. But she had explained the qualities of the green rock, and it's effects on humans....and other creatures...specifically vampires. Thus, helping her fulfill Lex's request, albeit temporarily, in containing Angel.

Lilah got back into her car, then took out her cellphone. It was time she dealt with General Lane, personally. Clark Kent in lieu of Angel and Connor. That should make everyone happy.

Meanwhile, Clark looked at the ring and smiled. He then began to move towards the stairs. He was in 'frisky' mood. Clark decided to see if his old pal, Chloe, was feeling just as playful. 


	7. Red Kryptonite

Chapter 7

Clark slowly opened the door to the room Chloe was in. Chloe was lying on the bed, her back to him, staring out of the window. His footsteps made the floor creak.

Chloe sat up and turned around. She smiled at him.

"Hey, Clark! Listen, I'm sorry for giving you such a hard time before. I know you were just looking out for my cousin."

Clark smiled suggestively at her. Chloe, suddenly uncomfortable, but unable to think why, stood up.

"How is Lana? Is she okay with what you did for Lois?"

Clark shrugged.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"No, I don't know." Clark repeated, folding his arms.

"Well, is she downstairs?"

"Who?"

"Lana, Clark! Is Lana downstairs?"

Clark shrugged again.

"She left the house. She's probably out with the locals....in the barn."

"What locals?"

Clark didn't answer, so Chloe sighed, a little irritated with his behavior and got up to look out of the window. Chloe could not see the barn from where she stood. She turned from the window and moved to leave the room, so she could find a view of it.

But Clark blocked her way.

"Clark, come on, stop playing around, okay? I want to see what's going on out in the barn."

"Always the reporter, hey?" Clark asked, reaching for the snap of Chloe's jeans. She slapped his hand away!

"Hey! Clark....have you been drinking or something? Your fight with Lana couldn't have been that bad."

"Why do I have to be drunk, Chloe? Maybe I just realized that you're the one I've wanted this whole time." he said, leaning in to kiss her. Chloe's eyes opened wide with shock, as Clark's mouth suddenly possessed her own! Whoa! Something was definitely off!

She gently pushed him away.

"Clark, I don't know if this is a rebound thing or what, but I have to go out to the barn and...."

She stopped talking suddenly. Connor was standing in the doorway. And he did not like what he was seeing!

"What the hell is going on here?" Connor asked, his voice calm. Clark grinned and turned around to face him.

"Hey, Connor! How's your blood-sucking father?"

"Clark!" Chloe gasped, shocked by his insensitivity. She had seen him this way before, but Clark never really had an explanation for what made him act this way. It was just one more thing about Clark Kent she could never figure out. She suspected his fight with Lana was making him act this way.

Clark hid his ringed hand, behind his back. He remembered the last time, how his common, Gomer Pyle like parents, had taken the ring from him, throwing him back into this lowly existence of bailing hay and rotating crops.

But no more.

Connor eyed Clark. He smelled different now. But why? And did he really have the time to find out? And why had he just been kissing Chloe?

Connor stretched his hand out towards Chloe.

"I need to talk to you."

"Yeah, well, I'd get the hell out of here if I were you." Clark said slyly. Chloe gave him an alarmed look.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because there's a 'vampire posse' out in the barn there. They know you're the son of the main vampire that's been killing around here." Clark lied.

Chloe looked from Clark to Connor. She walked up to him.

"We do need to talk."

"Chloe, I have to leave. I won't risk your safety by dragging you into my problems."

"Connor....you can't just leave without telling me what's going on. I need to know who you really are...." she trailed off, thinking of the child she could very well be carrying. For her baby's sake, she needed to know everything about Connor. Everything to expect. She needed to know who, or what, he really was.

"Chloe, please, don't make this any harder," Connor's voice cracked. Clark looked away, trying to keep from laughing! What a whining ass! He should've just left in the night and not said a word! But no! He's here quivering and crying!

Chloe touched Connor's face.

"I know of a place we can go. We'll be alone and safe. Let me come with you. We can talk, and you can tell me everything."

"Do you want to hear everything, Chloe? Really, I mean, it's a lot to process."

Chloe nodded.

"I want to hear all of it." she said firmly. Connor kissed her and Clark looked away, thinking he was going to be sick! Great! Connor had 'cock-blocked' him! There was no way he was getting any action from Chloe now!

Chloe let go of Connor and looked back at Clark.

"I'll call you and let you know where I am, okay?"

Like I give a damn! Clark thought. But he pasted on a smile.

"Yes, go do your thing." he said sarcastically. Chloe frowned and began to pull Connor away. But he did not move.

"You have a problem, Kent?"

"No, Connor," Chloe answered for Clark, "he's just a bit stressed over Lana. They had a fight."

"Well, you'd better try and get in her good graces, Kent. It looks like Luthor has a thing for your girlfriend."

Clark's eyes lit up!

"Really? How do you know this?"

"Yeah? How do you know that?" Chloe asked, not really believing it. Connor looked over at her.

"We got it out of him during his confession. That's part of what I want to tell you. Lois was there too and heard it all."

"Well let's go then. Bye, Clark!"

Clark smiled at Chloe, then smirked at Connor.

"Goodbye." he said, as Chloe pulled a suspicious Connor, down the hallway. Clark walked to the doorway and stood there. Lex wanted Lana? Hmmmm, interesting.

Jonathan and Martha decided to go to the town meeting with Mr. Griffin and the others, for show. They didn't let on how much they already knew about the 'vampire situation'. There was a mob mentality already in the works, and the Kent's suspected that anyone not with the program, could be in as much danger as the vampires themselves!

Lana touched Martha's arm.

"Could I ride with you? I want to find out what's going on."

"Honey.....sure, come on." Martha said, putting an arm around her. Just as they were about to walk out of the barn, Clark appeared.

"What's going on here?" Clark asked, trying to keep his tone light. He kept his ring finger behind his back.

"Lana is coming along with your father and I to the town meeting." Martha said, probing her son's eyes. It was obvious that the couple had had a fight, and it was her hope that Clark could use the time alone to make up with Lana.

Clark reached out with his other hand and touched Lana's arm.

"Lana, I think we really need to talk. Don't go....please?"

Lana gave him a wary look, then nodded. Martha smiled, then patted Clark on the shoulder. She soon caught up with Jonathan and the others.

That left Lana alone with Clark.

"Okay, Clark. What is it you want to say?" she asked. Clark closed the barn doors and locked them. Lana raised a brow.

"What are you doing?"

"Giving us some privacy." he said. He then suddenly picked her up, so that her feet dangled in the air, and began kissing her!

Lana had to really struggle to break free! Actually, when Clark did set her back down, she realized she hadn't actually broken free. Clark let her go.

"What is the matter with you?!" she hissed. "I thought you wanted to talk!"

"Lana, our problems have nothing to do with secrets and things like that! We have waited too long to be together, and now....well, now you're cranky, that's all."

"I'm cranky?! From a lack of sex? That's what you're telling me?"

"You told the vampire that!"

"God, Clark! How many times do I have to tell you, I did not tell that monster anything! He must've overheard Chloe and me! God! What is the matter with you?"

"Maybe your chastity belt is getting old for me...and tired." Clark sneered, looking her up and down. Lana shook her head.

"You know what, Clark? Go to hell!"

"I'm in a relationship with a girl with permanently locked ankles! I'd say I'm already there!"

Lana just stared at him, hurt and appalled.

"YOU were the one that said that we should wait until the time is right! And now, suddenly, while people are dying around us, and you've lied to me, AGAIN, you want to just go at it in this barn?!"

Clark waved a hand at her in disgust!

"Go, Lana! Get out! Go! I'm through with this!"

"I'm though with you too, Clark!" Lana snapped, moving around him and unlocking the barn doors. Clark watched as she ran towards his parents truck, begging for a ride to the meeting. Jonathan, who was driving, glanced over at Clark, who was now standing in the doorway of the barn. Clark shrugged, as if he didn't know why in the world Lana would be so upset. He then turned and went back in the barn. 

Clark ran and kicked a tied stack of hay, whipping it into the air. It landed near one of the barn walls. He then began swinging his arms back and forth. He was SO bored!

Clark went back to the door of the barn. His parents truck was gone, thank God! It was as he considered going over to Lex's, and maybe rescuing him from his 'vampire beatdown', in exchange for the use of one his his pricier vehicles, that Clark spotted his truck.

Lois. Lois Lane.

Lois hopped out of the truck, then began hopping towards the house, when Clark called out to her loudly.

"Oh, Lois!"

Lois stopped and turned around. She saw Clark standing in the doorway of the barn! Damn! Now she would have to listen to some sort of lecture about stealing his truck!

Lois hopped the trek over to the barn. When Clark could see that she was getting close, he casually walked inside. Lois hopped in and collapsed on a haystack.

"You could've at least met me halfway!"

Clark smiled down at her.

"I'm sorry. That was ignorant of me. I'm an ignorant hound."

"I'll say! Look, I'm sorry for stealing your truck, but I've had a really hard day." she said, looking away. She still couldn't believe that her father had tried to sell her down the river to Lex Luthor! All so he could tinker with some vampires? Oh, and she needed to see Chloe, then call her father! She was never speaking to him as long as she lived! She was never speaking to Lex again either!

Lois looked back at Clark, and was surprised when he sat down on the haystack next to her. He sat very close.

"Why don't you tell me about your day?" he offered in a soft voice. Lois began to stand up, using his shoulder for leverage.

"Why? So you can tell me I told you so? Okay, Clark, since you're being so nosy, I'll tell you. I went over to Lex's and found out that Lex sold out Connor and his father, to my FATHER, so that he could experiment on them. Lex gets a formula and has to marry me, but he really doesn't want to because I'm not beautiful in a 'Lana Way'. I think he's after Lana, Clark, so you'd better watch your back and...."

Clark grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down into his lap! Lois suddenly forgot about the pain in her foot.

"What are you doing?" she asked, still a bit stunned.

"I know Lex is after Lana," Clark lied. "He's the reason she won't sleep with me. She just admitted to me today that she has feelings for him."

Lois's mouth dropped open!

"Oh God! There has to be some kind of mistake....Lana actually said that? I don't know Clark, I mean he may have feelings for her, but I doubt she...."

Clark's mouth fastened onto hers to keep her quiet. When he broke off the kiss, Clark looked into her eyes.

"Being beautiful in a 'Lana Way', is overrated, don't you think? Lex tried to trick you. Lana lied to me. Let's find out what they'll both be missing by making fools of us."

"Clark, I don't think...."

Clark kissed her again. Lois tried to ignore the feelings he was stirring up in her. This was wrong. This was a rebound thing. Only, she had no one to really rebound from, and this thing with Lana had to be a mistake.....but....Clark was not the type to lie.....

Lois grabbed his face, and their kisses grew more and more heated, until she found herself being picked up and carried over to one of the stalls. Clark reached for the door of the stall with one hand, and pulled it off!

"Uh, what was that?!" Lois asked, wide eyed.

"It was broken anyway." he murmured, carrying her inside and laying her down into the hay. Finally! The third time was definitely the charm!

Lilah got out of her limo, just as General Sam Lane, got out of his own vehicle. They were meeting in a very out of the way place in Smallville.

Then again, every place in this town looked out of the way.

Lilah offered him her outstretched hand. Sam Lane ignored it.

"I'm not interested in any other freak project."

"But General, what I have to offer you will more than compensate you for the loss of Angel and Connor. Don't you even want to...."

"You were supposed to help Lex make the deal I made with him, happen! I have people to answer to now, no thanks to Lex and yourself. Oh, and you can tell him to forget it. Our arrangement is null and void."

"Would that be in reference to the formula or your daughter's hand in marriage?"

Sam Lane scowled!

"Both! I would've have my Lo married to someone who could mess up so easily. Lex will never be the man his father was."

"I'm sure he'll be happy to hear that."

"Those vampires, the one named, 'Angel', he's the CEO of your law firm, isn't he?"

"Yes. That's why maybe you can see why we can't afford to lose him. And Connor is not a vampire. So I doubt he'd be of much help to you."

Sam Lane shook his head in disgust.

"Thank God for my niece that he's not a damned vampire! You couldn't talk to your superiors about at least helping me take Angel down...."

"I did. That's why I've put something else on the table. Now if you'd just listen...."

Sam Lane held a hand up.

"And I've told you, that this project I'm heading doesn't call for 'something else'. It calls for the vampires I requested."

"And you're not even willing to meet Lex halfway? The new specimen, for the formula? I mean, you could take the marriage thing off of the table." Lilah suggested.

"I'm not in the business of meeting people 'halfway', Ms. Morgan. And you can bet the 'marriage thing' is off of the table. I just wanted my little girl to be provided for, but I wouldn't be surprised if Lex squanders the fortune his father built. Good day to you." he said gruffly, as he took out a cigar and walked back to his vehicle. Lilah sighed as the car screeched past. It looked as if that whole red rock thing had been a waste of time. And, if she had any sense of conscious or decency, she would find a way to get it off of Clark Kent's hand, before something really bad happened.

But of course, she had neither. So Clark was on his own, as was anyone that crossed his path. Oh well. 


	8. Goodbye For Now

Chapter 8

"Connor? Where are we going? The old safehouse was back there." Chloe said.

"We're not going there." Connor said quietly, deep in thought. How did he even begin this conversation? How did he persuade Chloe not to freak out? Would she still have any feelings for him at all, once she knew everything?

"Okay....so where are we going?"

"To the airstrip."

"Huh?"

Connor continued driving. "Angel, my father, is a vampire."

"Well, yeah, Connor, I know that. I mean I knew it when he called you son earlier night, when he attacked my class, remember?"

"Yeah, when he attacked your class." Connor echoed. "Anyway, he was not himself."

"So you've said. So Clark said too. Would you mind being more specific? And why are we going to the airstrip?"

"Most vampires have no souls." Connor said, instead of answering her.

"Yeah, well most demons don't."

"Well my father does. Thanks to a gypsy curse."

Chloe still didn't understand.

"Gypsies cursed your father?"

Connor nodded.

"Yes. So now he has to live with memory of all of the people he has killed and harmed. He's been doing it now for almost three hundred years."

"Your father has been alive for three hundred years? Wait a minute, Connor! Wait a minute! Your father is a vampire, so essentially, he's dead. How did he father a child?"

"I don't know. My mother was a vampire as well. She staked herself when I was born."

"Oh my God! I'm sorry....I guess. Connor, this airstrip thing...."

"I'm leaving, Chloe."

Chloe reached out and grabbed the steering wheel! Connor struggled to maintain his direction, until he finally went off to the side of the road.

"Chloe, that was really dangerous!"

"So is your leaving me! What is this all about?"

"The Army is hunting my father, and myself. Angel thinks that everything will be alright now, but I know it won't."

Chloe put a hand up!

"Connor, you are making no sense! None! Now you still haven't explained your origins completely. I know that both of your parents were vampires, and that your mother staked herself and your father is usually nice, save for what we saw earlier this evening. Now we get from that, to the Army being after your father and you.....you're leaving out a hell of a lot!"

Connor reached for her hand.

"Your Uncle, General Sam Lane, wants Angel and me. He made a deal with Lex. The two of us for some formula he has, and Lois's hand in marriage."

"What?! That doesn't sound like Uncle Sam! And Lois and Lex? Lois is too independent to be married to anyone, much less someone like Lex!"

"Chloe, I don't really have the time to convince you that I'm telling you the truth. Lex admitted all of this to us. Lois overheard everything. I think she was hurt over what her father tried to pull."

"I'm not saying I don't believe you. I just want you to skip to the chase. What does any of this have to do with the you're leaving? Now that Lois and I know the plan, my uncle wouldn't dare do anything."

"Chloe, it won't be just your uncle next time. Lex and your Uncle, knowing who I really am, much less Angel's identity, makes Smallville a dangerous place for me. Those people back at the Kent farm are going to be looking for Angel and me. When they can't find us, they're going to look to you. I don't want your hometown to be unlivable for you."

"Then take me with you."

"Chloe...."

"I'll call my father later from wherever! But you are not just skipping town without me! We're in, whatever this is, together."

"Do you really mean that?" Connor asked carefully. "I mean, I don't know if you could ever get used to the strange things that are probably going to occur, from just being in my life."

"This is Smallville, Connor. I used to have this wall full of newspaper clippings, of all the strange things that have happened in this town, ever since that meteor shower, over twenty years ago. I'm used to weird things."

"That was the meteor rock that was affecting my father?"

"Yeah. Believe me, it affects humans in different ways too. Look, forget all of that. We'll face what we have to face together. Just know that you're life is my life now."

Connor kissed Chloe then, having decided to go with his instincts. He then let go of her.

"There's a jet waiting. Let's go."

Angel, who had already boarded, was not surprised to see Lilah emerge from a compartment.

"Lilah. Tell me why I shouldn't just kill you right now?"

"Well, I think your son would be upset if you did that."

Angel, who had been sitting, jumped up and grabbed Lilah by the throat!

"Whatever plans you have for Connor, you can just forget them! When we made that deal, years ago, Connor was supposed to live a normal existence. He was never supposed to know where he really came from."

Lilah didn't even flinch.

"Well, as you well know, there were some glitches in that spell. Glitches and unforeseen circumstances. And he is leading a semi-normal life now."

Angel threw her away from him, and she collapsed onto a couch.

"What's going on? What have you done now?"

Lilah rubbed her throat. Take a look for yourself." she said, standing up. Angel went and looked out of one of the plane windows.

Connor and Chloe were just pulling up. Angel shrugged and turned back to Lilah.

"So what? I see my son came to his senses and is going to be with the woman he loves."

"She's not coming."

Angel peered at her.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Just as I said. You see, Connor called me on my cell and we came to an agreement. In fact, in my estimation, we probably sealed this deal, right before he picked up Ms. Sullivan there."

Angel turned and opened the door, lowering the steps. He hurried down them. Chloe stepped back behind Connor. Angel looked at her.

"Hello....you must be Chloe."

Chloe nodded, unable to get the image of the murderous fiend she had dealt with earlier, out of her mind. She certainly hoped that having family dinners with Angel, wasn't going to be a part of her life with Connor. That and, by rights, Angel really should pay for his crimes. God knows how many vampires that he made, were still running around Smallville now!

Connor looked up past Angel, at Lilah, who was standing in the plane doorway. Angel looked back up at her, then back at Connor.

It was then that he knew. It was then that he knew what this 'agreement' was, that Connor had made with Wolfram & Hart.

Before Angel could say a word, the sky suddenly turned black! Wind began to rush in at a vicious level, and Chloe had to hang on to Connor just to right herself!

"Are we going to even be able to fly?!" Chloe shouted through the wind. Connor looked at her.

"Don't worry! Everything will be fine!" was all Connor said. He looked at Angel, who mouthed the word, 'no', to him.

No one would ever know, that the vicious storm that was engulfing Smallville, had begun the minute Clark Kent put himself inside a mortal woman, Lois Lane.

Lois, who was on top, could not think of anything else but the growing pleasure Clark was giving her, as he seemed to grow bigger and bigger, stretching her passage. Hadn't he said he was a virgin or something? Or had someone told her that? This was wrong! Clark had to have misunderstood Lana....they should stop. Yes, they should stop.

But Lois could not seem to make herself stop the sensual movements of her hips, nor did Clark do anything to stop the pushing up movement, he was doing to meet her thrusts.

His hands, which were firmly positioned on her waist, felt like fire on her skin. Lois's eyes closed, as she shut out out the pain in her foot, this strange storm that had begun and....

And Clark's babbling!

"This is lust, Lois! Pure and simple, lust! No one ever has to know! No one ever has to..."

Lois reached out, picked up a clump of hay and shoved it into his mouth! He began to spit it out! His eyes, like his mouth, were smiling.

"Forget the sweet nothings, okay? Harder and faster. Those are the only things you need to be concentrating on, Smallville. Harder and faster!" she ordered him, closing her eyes again and leaning back.

Clark, who liked her dominate role, began to move his hands upward. And that was when he noticed something.

As soon as his hands moved from her waist, a white flash went off, and he could see that his handprints were burned there! Smiling at the pattern, Clark began to move his hands all over her body, leaving his prints burned onto Lois's skin!

Lois, who was still lost in her own pleasure, and had her eyes closed, noticed none of this, but just felt a pleasurable tingling on her skin. Clark's red ring began to glow, as he forced himself upward into a half seated position. With one arm around her waist, and the other reaching out for one of her breasts, Clark took it into his mouth, and unwittingly, left lip prints, burned onto her breast as well.

Their bodies continued to move rhythmically, until Lois thought she would lose her mind! He was so big and hard within her, and his mouth was hot against her sensitive nipple....neither of them noticed that soon, they were both bathed in red light. Neither could know that this storm, and a now strange glow of all of the symbols in the caves, were all due to this illicit union. The storm began to sound much worse, as Clark Kent and Lois Lane continued their frenzied lovemaking, until Lois felt the room spinning, and then blackness......

Lex decided to find Lois and apologize. He didn't know why he was even bothering, except that there was something in him, that did not want to leave things with her unfinished in this way. He wanted her to know that he hadn't just been using her. He did genuinely care for her, a little.

Lex knew she was staying at the Kent farm, and sped up to get there, ignoring the slick roads. He glanced up at the sky while driving. Where the hell did this storm suddenly come from?

It was when he took his eyes off of the road, that his care skidded out of control, and much to his horror, he found himself crashing off of the same bridge that he had hit Clark on, some years ago. Only this time, Clark was not there, just him, and his car, crashing into the river....

Chloe sat on a couch on the plane, looking out of the window at the storm, as Angel plead with Connor, and Lilah listened. She too thought the storm was a bit odd as well.

"Connor, listen to me. Don't do this! Chloe looks like a strong young woman that wants to be with you. Give her this chance. Don't make a decision, that the both of you should have input in, for her. She'll hate you later."

"There won't be a later, because she won't remember, will she?" Connor asked Lilah. Lilah nodded.

"Come on, Angel. Even if you could fly away from here, no one in this town is going to forget you. They may put out APB's. Chloe will be dragged into this. Hell, her being on this plane has already put her in this mess. Connor's way, will alter reality so that no one will remember that there were vampires here. The vamps that you made, that others made, will disappear and...."

"So will Chloe's love for me." Connor answered, his voice cracking. Angel put a hand on his shoulder.

"And what do you get in return?" Angel asked bitterly.

Lilah smiled.

"We'll let young Connor know, when the time is right."

Angel turned back to Connor.

"I can see you don't want to do this. Hell, the two of you can take this plane and leave! I will turn myself in now! I'd do anything so that you can have the life you want, son."

"You have work to do, people to save. Chloe will be fine. She won't remember me, she won't be heartbroken. Do it." he said, indicating Lilah. Angel just shook his head and looked down, as Connor walked over to Chloe, pulled her up from the couch and kissed her. The room began to spin until there was nothing but white light.....

Of course, the 'spell' did not forget things that could not be forgotten.

And there were a few glitches.

Lois awoke in her dorm room and spit out hay! What the hell?!

She sat up, and listened to the sounds of Chloe vomiting! Lois's eyes widened.

"Are you throwing up on the floor over there?" she asked, looking at her cousin.

"I couldn't make it to the bathroom in time." Chloe responded weakly. "You know, I would think I was pregnant, from the way I've been feeling these days. But that can't be, since I would've had to have slept with someone to get this way. Or at least be in a relationship." Chloe said wistfully, sitting back down on her bed.

Lois felt kind of lousy herself, although she could not think why. She really felt hungover. She looked at Chloe.

"I see you've still been unable to pry one Clark Kent away from Lana, hey?" Lois asked jokingly, willing herself to get up. She was wearing a bathrobe.

Chloe stood up as well.

"I know Clark doesn't see me as the 'girlfriend type'. I guess I just wish I could find someone, who could make me forget him."

"You will, I swear it. God, look at the time! Isn't Lex Luthor coming to speak in one of your classes today?"

Chloe nodded.

"Yeah, the first section. Did you see him on the news last night? Full of himself as usual. I'd better get a move on and...."

Chloe suddenly ran to the door, opened it, and hurried down the hall to the Women's Room. Lois shook her head. Chloe ate too much of the crap on campus. That was what was probably making her sick.

Lois grabbed a towel and some personals, before following after her cousin. When she arrived at the Women's Room, she heard Chloe wretching in a stall. Lois padded over to the showers and turned on one of the knobs. She then set her stuff down on a sink, before removing her robe, and house shoes.

As the water hit her skin, Lois grabbed some soap and began to rub it over herself. It was as she looked down, that she dropped the soap.

Her body was covered with some kind of rash. There were red shapes on her waist, breasts, stomach....Lois turned around and saw the same shapes on her ass! And on her back!

Lois slipped into a dead faint in the shower, never feeling the water beating down on her. Chloe emerged from a stall, saw her, and her skin, and screamed!

"Lois! Oh my God, Lois!" Chloe yelled, pulling her out of the shower. Lana walked in, dressed in pajamas, and hurried over as well.

"Oh my God! What happened? And what is that on her skin?"

Chloe stared hard at Lois's skin.

"The patterns look like....like...."

"Handprints." Lana finished, revolted, yet equally as fascinated. "That one there....it looks like someone's lips."

"Okay, well what is this thing on her stomach. That isn't anyone's bodypart." Chloe said. Lana had to agree. It looked more like an 'S' inside somekind of emblem or something. What or who had done this to Lois?

Meanwhile, Clark Kent awoke in his own dorm room, with a start. He too spit out hay. The last glitch in the spell Connor had requested of Wolfram & Hart, was that it did not work on Clark's kind.

Clark awoke and looked at his hand. It was bare. The ring was gone. And yes, unlike everyone else in Smallville, he remembered everything. He turned his head to gaze at a picture of Lana and himself. Clark then rubbed his hands over his face, shaking his head.

THE END

The continuation of Darkness Falls will probably be put up this weekend sometime. It will be titled 'Darkness Lifts'. 


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